Musings
by Alemae
Summary: Has some AU. All the little interactions between Haku and Chihiro, with a little twist. Magic can exist in the human world too, you know.
1. 1: Unexpected

This is my first time writing, so don't be too harsh on me, k? But this was just an idea that came into my head just before I fell asleep, and it wouldn't leave me alone. So I had to write it. Before you ask, I am not a violent person. Well, maybe just a little, but fencing is cool. :)

* * *

Chihiro was on her way to one of the most prestigious fencing competitions in the world. She had trained long and hard for this and would not leave without her first prize.

"Remember, Chihiro, don't let your guard down, go on the offensive as often as possible and watch your footwork," her coach said to her, offering her last minute pieces of advice as she donned her fencing gear. She just gave a terse nod in response to his words. She, Chihiro Ogino, the top national fencer of Japan would not be defeated. With her mask under her arm, she strode into the main hall where the competition was to take place.

* * *

"Kohaku, you had better win this tournament, or else..."

"Yes, yes, my mother will go berserk if I don't. I just have to watch my reflexes and not lose focus," Kohaku mumbled to his coach, uttering the familiar phrase that was repeated everyday during training. He felt slightly put off though, did his coach think that he, Kohaku Nushi, one of the top ten elite fencers in the world would lose to one of these amateurs? That was a definite no.

"Now, good luck and keep your head in the game," his coach said to him before clapping him on the back. Haku just acknowledged him with a curt nod of his head and walked forward into the hall.

'Let's get this over and done with,' he thought to himself as a self-assured grin started to form on his face.

* * *

The competition had soon commenced and the competitors broke up into pairs and started their warm-ups in the big hall. Chihiro looked around her with an emotionless expression. The place was full of good fencers, yet only the best fencer would walk out of here the champion. And that person would be her, she thought determinedly. No one was to get in the way of her prize, or she would take them down. With her parents here today to support her, she had to make sure to win, or goodness knows what would happen to her when she got home.

On the other side of the hall, Haku was swinging his *foil experimentally, his eyes focused on the blade cleaving through the air. The only look on his face was one of pure determination. I _will _win this, he thought to himself. This was just another competition. The only takeaway after this competition would be another trophy to add to his already rather large collection.

* * *

Her match had already started and Chihiro was soon beating the socks off her opponent. She lunged gracefully, avoiding the foil that was heading towards her, at the same time landing a direct hit on her opponent's unguarded side, ending the match.

"Halt! Five, zero, to Ogino."

Chihiro gave a dry smirk. One down. Now she just had to beat the rest of these no-good losers and then she was free! She lifted an eyebrow as she shook her opponent's hand.

"Better luck next time," she murmured.

* * *

Haku had already completed his match, with him emerging the victor, and was waiting for the next one to start. He lifted off the mask and shook his hair out, simultaneously reaching for the towel that hung near his bag. A girl seated diagonally behind him in the spectator's stand gave a small gasp as she caught a glimpse of his handsome, chiseled face. Haku pretended not to notice and used the towel to wipe the beads of sweat off his face. He directed a mental eye-roll at the girl. If only they were not all so superficial, then they might stand a chance. Everywhere he went, girls always paid attention to him and his looks. It got rather annoying.

But that was why he loved fencing: he got to wear a mask.

* * *

Chihiro stood patiently as she waited for the referee to announce her name for the finals. After one last opponent, the title and prize would be hers. This competition thing got a little old after a while, she felt. Where was the fun when you could defeat so many others with a mere flick of your hand? Hopefully, her last competitor would prove to be more of a challenge than the others. Boy or girl, it didn't matter who, Chihiro was better than them all.

She stood beside her chair and eyed her competitor on the other side of the mat. It was a boy. Around her age or slightly older, she guessed, judging by his height and build. As his back was turned to her, all she saw was a curtain of dark hair, with rather odd, greenish highlights where the light caught the dark strands. It hung to his shoulders and he had swept it up into a rather messy ponytail.

"Ugh, he must be vain then, to have grown his hair. So I'm up against a rather girly-guy it seems," she mumbled to herself in disgust. Either she had mumbled too loudly or she had bumped into her chair which had scraped against the ground, for the boy suddenly turned towards her and she couldn't help but stiffen with surprise. His piercing green eyes met her brown ones. She gathered what wits she had left and managed to give him a rather cold look. Or so she thought. The next thing she knew, he had walked up to where she stood.

"I'm Kohaku Nushi, but you can call me Haku. I've heard a lot about your skills, Chihiro Ogino," he said to her in a rather deep, attractive voice and offered his hand for her to shake.

"You have? Well, I can't really say the same for you. Where do you come from?" she asked in reply, grasping his hand. His hand was warm and smooth, yet firm and strong at the same time. Chihiro liked it.

'What is wrong with me? I should be thinking of the upcoming match with this weird guy instead of drooling all over him!' she scolded herself mentally.

"Well, I was born in Japan but live and train more in America." His voice really was alluring to her. She gave herself a hard mental kick and forced herself to reply. She realized then that she was still holding onto his hand and stared blankly at it before getting herself to let go of him.

"That accounts for how you know how to speak Japanese!" she blurted without thinking and blushed for stating the obvious. One corner of his lips quirked up into a lopsided, amused grin. "Sorry, I often speak without thinking. Um... the match is about to start, so you should go back now, I guess. And good luck. I'll try to go easy on you and your skills!" she smirked, her competitive spirit kicking in again as she gave him a mischievous wink before donning her mask and turning around to retrieve her foil.

Kohaku walked back to his seat, stunned.

'That is one intriguing girl,' he thought to himself as he put on his mask. 'And her eyes are like chocolate.' He stopped himself suddenly, shocked that he was thinking about a girl, furthermore, one he was about to compete against.

"Get your head in the game!" he told himself, uttering his coach's words. He mentally prepared himself and picked up his foil before turning around and facing the mat where the match was to take place on.

* * *

The moment the match began, Haku realized that he was facing a strong opponent, as did Chihiro. He picked up his pace a notch and employed all the tricks his coach had taught him, coming up with the most complex attack sequences he could think of. He lunged, then parried, then riposted. But time and time again, steel met against steel as she parried his blows and attacked as well. Yet, neither of them could land a blow on each other. She lunged forward, feinting with her foil to the left before whipping her weapon to the right. However, he was just as fast, blocking her sword in the nick of time. Beneath her mask, she grimaced in frustration, but she wouldn't give up. Not yet. Haku was not having a better time trying to win either. 'It seems like I underestimated this girl,' he thought, before re-doubling his efforts in the hope of winning. They attacked, then relaxed back into the opening stance. They were both evenly matched and neither seemed to be able to get the upper hand over the other. The crowd watched, breathless and tense, following Chihiro's and Haku's every move.

Suddenly, both of them whipped their weapons upwards in a motion practically too fast to be seen. With a loud clang of steel against steel, their foils hit each other, both having tried to hit the other at the same time. Both of them were panting by now. Out of the blue, Chihiro flicked her foil back, freeing it, before slicing it through the air and slashing Haku across the abdomen with its point.

"HALT!"

"And the winner is... Chihiro Ogino of Japan!" the announcer shouted to the crowd who was applauding the two wildly. Chihiro gave a shallow bow to them, acknowledging their applause before turning around to accept the trophy and then gathering her belongings. She still had something she needed to do before she left. But she needed to move fast, before he left after receiving his prize.

She stalked over to where he was standing, his back towards her as he packed his belongings into his bag.

"Why did you let me win?" she accused him, anger colouring her tone. Haku turned around to face her and cocked an eyebrow.

"Let you win? You won fair and square. I didn't let you win," he replied calmly, no emotions betraying his stoic face. Yet his eyes were full of some unknown emotion as he gazed at her.

"Yes, you did! You could have blocked my last move, I know you could! But you didn't. I want to know why!" she protested angrily.

"Chihiro, I... you..."

"What?"

The next thing he did was so unexpected that she barely avoided stabbing him with her sheathed foil.

His head swooped down over hers and his warm, soft hands had drifted up to her chin, tilting it up to look into his depthless emerald eyes. "You win," he murmured to her, barely audible, before his lips descended over hers, covering her lips like a soft blanket.

The feeling of his lips on hers was such a foreign feeling, yet she could not deny that she did not like it. Instinctively, her eyes closed and her free hand had raised towards his face of its own accord. Barely knowing what she was doing, she lifted both her hands to encircle his neck. In the background, she dimly registered hearing her gear drop to the floor with a dull thunk. All she could feel was him. Haku's lips moving against hers, his warm skin under her hands. For Haku, her lips were like some steroids injected into his bloodstream. It made him feel so alive and aware of her. How wonderful it felt as she tilted her face into his hands, her lips molding against his...

They were so into their kiss that they did not take notice of the crowd growing around them. Until...

"CHIHIRO OGINO!"

"KOHAKU NUSHI!"

"STOP THAT RIGHT NOW AND COME HERE!"

They broke apart suddenly and stared into each other's eyes, stunned.

"Oops," they both murmured at the same time, and then giggled sheepishly, still in each other's embrace.

"I think my parents and coach are, uh, calling me," Chihiro told Haku, blushing a deep red.

"Um, yeah, my coach is calling me too," Haku said, removing his hands from her to ruffle his hair, embarrassed.

"Wait," Chihiro said to him, just before he turned away. "Here," she shoved something into his hands. But he barely registered it as she had given him a peck on his cheek.

"Thanks," she whispered into his ear, her warm breath sending tingles all over his skin, "for everything, including letting me win. And, it seems that your words, or _lips_, I should say, are mightier than your sword."

She turned around to pick up her things and ran off after another shouted 'Chihiro!' was heard. But not before giving him a wink as she disappeared amongst the crowd of people, her chocolate brown hair flying out behind her.

"An _intriguing _girl," he murmured to himself, looking down at the piece of paper in his palm containing her scribbled email address and phone number.

"KOHAKU! If you don't come here _now_, I'm going to..." the threat from his coach startled him out of his thoughts and sent him hurrying to pick up his bag.

* * *

As Chihiro walked out of the competition venue, she couldn't help but sigh and remember all the things that had happened during the competition and after. She had gotten more out of this competition than she had expected.

Suddenly, her phone in her jean's pocket started ringing. She pulled it out and took a look at the screen. An unknown number.

Chihiro smiled.

* * *

*foil: lightweight, flexible weapon people use during fencing.

Thanks for reading! :) hope it wasn't too bad. comments and criticisms are welcome. :)


	2. 2: Believer

YES! i finally got another story out. sorry, updates are irregular now, school is killin' me. but not bad, i did 2 stories this weekend! :D k, i hope this isn't too bad. i was inspired in church coz of some friends and stuff. ;)

* * *

Chihiro was bored. That was the only way to describe it. She had already read the bulletin given out for this Sunday. She had even read Matthew chapter 1 verse 3, the gospel for next week. How was she going to last for another fifty minutes?

In despair, she glanced up at the cross on the altar and sent a silent plea for help to the heavens above. Her eyes landed on an altar boy seated to the left of the priest. His white cassock was impeccable and his back was straight. His dark hair hung to his shoulders and his eyes were focused on the priest giving the homily. All in all, he looked very attentive. Yet, from where she was seated, in the second row from the front, Chihiro could see that he was about as bored as she was. His fingers were drumming lightly on the hard bench he sat on and his eyes seemed rather glazed, as though he was not seeing anything in front of him but was in a different world altogether. Out of the blue, he lifted his hand from the bench to his mouth, stifling a yawn. Chihiro almost giggled. She knew exactly how he felt.

Suddenly, as though he felt her watching him, he glanced over in her direction. His piercing green gaze met hers. Chihiro was mortified. She quickly glanced back to the cross. Then, as though she could not help it, she sneaked a glance back at him. He was still looking at her, studying her. She blushed, but gave him a small, shy grin. Surprisingly, he returned her grin. For the rest of the homily, they were caught up in making silly faces at each other.

When the priest finally uttered his last word and sat back down, they broke off eye contact. She was relieved that the priest had finally finished, yet she was also ashamed of herself. She was supposed to be in church to pray and ask God for forgiveness, to strengthen her relationship with Him, not to be making cow eyes at an altar boy with rather...striking looks. It seemed like she needed God's forgiveness more than she thought.

For the rest of the church service, she focused her eyes on the screen and sang along to the hymns, trying to ignore the feeling of a certain pair of green eyes on her. He was _so _distracting, she thought to herself. Even when she closed her eyes to pray, she still had the feeling that somebody was watching her. Struggling to ignore him, she started to say the Our Father. However, as though drawn to him by some strange force, her eyes focused on him of their own accord. Their gazes met and she had to look down again to stop anyone from noticing her blush.

Later, as she went up to the altar to receive Communion, she couldn't help but to look for him, the unknown altar boy. She found him holding a metal container as he walked to a corner of the raised platform to set it down. At that moment, he spotted her. Time seemed to stand still for a moment as she stared into his face, a face that was unfamiliar yet made her feel so many emotions at once. Suddenly, Chihiro was brought out of her reverie by a loud clang of metal hitting marble.

* * *

Haku couldn't stop thinking about her. That unfamiliar girl with the long, chocolate-brown hair and eyes that seemed to glow hazel. All throughout the service, he found her face constantly in his mind. What was wrong with him? He had never felt this way about a girl before, much less one whom he did not know.

As he walked to the small table at the corner of the altar with the metal container in his hands, he felt a prickly sensation on the back of his neck. The feeling of someone watching him. Involuntarily, he turned around. He saw her. He felt like he was drowning in her liquid brown orbs. His hands went numb and before he knew it, the container had slipped from within his grasp and collided with the marble floor tiles.

CLANG! All heads turned in his direction. Haku broke out of his stupor and quickly bent to retrieve the dropped item, letting his bangs fall to cover his face. He could not have been more embarrassed. Openly gawking at a girl when he was on the altar in church- when had he become so air-headed? Already, he could feel the scorching glare of the priest on his back. He quickly ducked his head before setting the container down and practically sprinting back to his seat.

"Saw something interesting, did you? Which one is she?" A fellow altar boy asked in a whisper.

"Oh, shut up," Haku snapped.

Did he not know that Haku's chances of going to heaven were depending on this?

* * *

Chihiro almost burst out laughing then and there. The look on his face after he picked up the container was beyond description. But why had he dropped the container after looking at her? That was strange. Was she really that bad looking? She quickly brushed that rather depressing thought aside and stood up for the final hymn, beyond relieved that she could get home soon. This church service seemed to be testing her faith in God more than ever.

* * *

She walked out of the main doors of the church and stood on the front step, surveying the mass of people gathered outside the church. The number of believers seemed to be rather large. Suddenly, she felt someone tap her shoulder. She spun around quickly, almost losing her balance and crashing into the person behind her. The altar boy.

"What do you want?" she asked, rather irritated due to the way the whole church service had turned out and her recent humiliation.

"I just wanted to talk to you," he began, talking in a low, smooth voice, "I also want to apologize for how I was acting during service. I just compromised my chances of getting into heaven, and got a scolding from the head priest as well. By the way, my name's Haku," he smirked. She found that she liked the way his lips turned up when he smiled.

"I'm Chihiro," she said in reply. "And I accept your apology. I hope you didn't get scolded that badly. What did the priest say?"

"That I was on a straight path to hell if I continued to be distracted or have distracting thoughts when I'm up on the altar. So, do you want to pray with me first? To lessen my chances of going to the fiery pits, I'm going to need all the help I can get," he said, another sinful grin forming on his lips.

"Fine. But what were you thinking of that was so distracting?"

"You."

Chihiro just knelt down and hid her smile behind her clasped hands, trying not to be so aware of his body so close to hers.

She believed that God had just answered her prayers.

* * *

ok, hope you enjoyed that! n sorry abt the 1st chapter, its kinda screwed up, but i'm too tired to go edit it for now. reviews are welcome! they encourage me to update more, y'know.


	3. 3: Rain

Hey people! I've been out of ideas lately. Not much inspiration at school, super tired now. Well, I've written a new chapter but I'm not really satisfied with it. Somehow. But yups. I will be able to update less frequently now, coz I'm outta brain juice. And I haven't finished my homework. Chinese. Hope you don't hate it. :)

* * *

Rain. Cold and wet and dripping.

Chihiro sighed as she tried in vain to protect her head from the soaking droplets. She was really unlucky. It was only the first day of pre-school and she had forgotten to put the umbrella her mummy had left for her into her bag. She almost wanted to sit down in the middle of the wet, muddy path and burst into tears. Almost.

She stumbled along the path, valiantly holding back the tears that threatened to fall. It was like her tears were jealous of the water already on her face and wanted to join them too.

"Hey!" Chihiro heard a voice call from behind her.

She turned around to face the voice, her sodden ponytail whipping into her face. She pushed it away in disgust and turned to where the voice came from. Behind her stood a young boy, probably around her age. However, his black-green hair, which was slightly damp from the rain, hung down to his chin. He also seemed tall for someone around seven or eight years old. The small umbrella that he clutched tightly in his hands rested against his shoulder as he regarded her with curious green eyes.

His head tilted to one side. "Do you need the umbrella?" he asked her in a gentle voice. She sniffled a little and nodded slightly. The boy walked over to where she stood, shivering slightly in the rain and sheltered her with the umbrella. She moved closer to his warmth and he put a reassuring yet slightly wet arm around her.

"Thank you," she whispered to him. He flashed a tiny grin at her. "My name is Haku," he stated shyly. "Where do you live?"

"In that blue house on the top of the big, big hill," Chihiro said, pointing enthusiastically to where her home was.

"I'll walk you there then, okay?" She nodded in agreement, thankful that her new friend would accompany her home and she would not have to brave the wetness by herself. She innocently took his hand and together, they made their way to her blue house on the hill.

* * *

It soon became a routine, where the two young children would walk to Chihiro's house together whenever it rained. Haku's comforting presence and umbrella was one of the best things Chihiro liked in her life.

But one day, he didn't come to pick her up when it rained. She made her way home forlornly, drenched to the skin.

He wasn't there the next rainy day either.

* * *

"Chihiro, it's raining. Did you forget to bring your umbrella _again_?" her mother's exasperated voice could be heard coming from the phone.

"Um, yes?" she answered sheepishly. All she got in reply was an irritated huff of disapproval. She pocketed the phone and prepared herself for the long and wet walk home.

As she half ran, half walked along the path, she couldn't help but to relish the feeling of the rain against her skin. She remembered when she was younger, she hated rainy days and always wanted to cry when it rained on her way back home. However, due to a young boy, she felt that the next rainy day couldn't come soon enough.

"Hey!" a voice interrupted her reminiscing. She spun around in surprise, inwardly cursing herself for being so distracted that she did not even notice someone behind her. Her soggy braid clung to her neck .

"Need an umbrella?" That voice. It was so familiar yet so foreign. Something stirred within her memories. The memory of cool, wet days filled with the fragrance of spring rain and a reassuring presence rose unbidden in her mind. That face- the falling rain blurred the features, yet she was almost able to recognize him. And the hair...

"Haku?" the familiar name rolled off her tongue easily, but it had been so long since she had last said it.

"I see you still forget to bring your umbrella with you. Five years may have passed, but you haven't changed, Chihiro."

She could only stand and stare at him blankly, unsure of what to do next. She was barely aware of the fact that the rain continued to soak her, drenching her already soaking wet hair and clothes.

Only when she felt the absence of the raindrops on her head did she notice that he had moved to stand beside her and shelter her. Much like when they were both younger. It was so familiar, but a lot of things had changed and needed explanations, much like his sudden and prolonged disappearance five years ago. Haku had grown up, that was obvious to her. He had grown much taller and now towered over her. But he was no longer the small, adorable boy she had once known and liked. He had matured much, but the attraction she now found herself feeling for him was rather overwhelming.

Chihiro gave him a big hug, expressing how much she had missed him during all those years he had been gone, how she had felt so lost and lonely with no one to walk her home when it rained. Plus, she had never really mentioned it aloud, but being near him always made her feel warm and happy on the inside, banishing any cold feelings the rain brought.

Suddenly, the feeling of a pair of warm lips on hers brought her up short and stunned her.

* * *

The umbrella dropped to the ground unnoticed as the rain fell upon them, unleashing a flood of past memories and new emotions.

Rain. Wet and cold, but bringing with it a new feeling of warmth.

* * *

Thanks for reading! :) hope it wasn't that bad. comments welcome! :D


	4. 4: Flower

**This is actually inspired by Chinese New Year. Updates are gonna be less frequent now though...tests are coming. :( but i'll try to write something for V day. but i still think that its an over-rated day...**

* * *

It was supposed to be simple: just sell all the flowers.

But this place was killing me. It was just so noisy and smelly and _crowded_. I couldn't stand it. All the bodies pressing against me made me feel choked and claustrophobic. The loud shouts and noises pierced my eardrums. I felt people brush up against me and automatically cringed, only to bump into other people. Abandoning the post entirely, I shouted for my mom to man the stall and ran off to a secluded spot to clear my thoughts.

* * *

I gasped for air, my lungs burning after sprinting and pushing my way through the throng of people to reach my favourite spot.

I loved the silence and serenity of the place. It was basically just an empty area with a tree towering over a bench and a lamppost to one side of the tree. At night, the tree cast dark shadows over the bench, shielding it from view. My feet tread the familiar path to the bench and I collapsed into the safety of the bench, sighing.

I pulled my feet onto the bench and hugged my knees, calming myself down. My eyes slipped shut. This kinda put me at risk from strangers, but whatever.

"Hey."

My eyes flew open as I peered into the darkness. Searching for the voice.

He was standing beside the tree, his face cast in shadow by his hair. I couldn't see his features.

"Can I sit with you?" Such a casual question. But his voice sent my pulse racing, and not in a bad way.

I shrugged, then realized he probably couldn't see it. "Sure."

The boy moved over to my bench and sat down beside me.

"How come you're not joining in the festivities on the other street? Hiding from something?" His voice held a note of teasing, but there was a hint of genuine curiosity in it.

"I could say the same for you."

"True. I'm Haku. And you're...?" he questioned. Turning to face me, his eyes looked directly into my face. Even with the little light from the streetlight, I could see his eyes glinting brightly, like little stars in the sky.

"Chihiro." He nodded in response and I realized I wasn't being the most talkative person. Huh, well, too bad for him then. I just wasn't into the Chinese New Year mood that everyone seemed to be in.

"I think I'd better get going. My mom won't be able to handle the stall all on her own, what with CNY and all that." I stood up. To my surprise, Haku stood up too.

"You're working here? Would you mind if I walked you back to the stall then?" he asked quickly.

I shrugged in response. I didn't know what to make of this strange boy. But if he turned out to be a thief or something then I wasn't going to be too happy.

We walked back to the flower stall in companionable silence. As we walked back into the throng of people, I winced. Now I remembered why I had left in the first place. Haku gave me a concerned look from the corner of his eye.

"No, I'm fine. I just don't like crowds much. I prefer wide open spaces better, with fewer people."

"Ah, I see. Then you don't mind if I stick with you? Would you like it better if I left you alone?" he asked me, looking into my eyes.

For the first time, I noticed that his eyes were a beautiful shade of green. My favorite color.

"No, you're different. I don't mind you," I replied with a slight smile.

His eyebrows went up. "Huh." A smile of his own spread across his face. Feeling weird, I looked away from his face.

The flower stall came into sight and I saw my mom talking to several customers. I stopped walking and turned to face him.

"My mom's stall is here. So are you...leaving now?"

"It depends. Do you want me to stick around? I can come back tomorrow, seeing as I live around here and that you work here. You _are _coming back here tomorrow, right?" he questioned and shot me a look.

"Maybe? Why? Do you want to see me?" I smirked.

"Do _you _want to see me?" he countered.

"Maybe."

"Okay then. Wait here," he added mysteriously before turning around and running off.

"Haku! Wait! Where are you going?" I frantically looked around for him and spotted him in front of the flower stall talking to my mom. I swore and turned around before either of them saw me. I tried to distract myself by staring directly into some bright lights on the opposite side of the street. When I closed my eyes, I could see little patches of light on my closed eyelids.

Suddenly, I felt someone tap my shoulder. I spun around, only to look directly into Haku's face.

"Here."

"A flower?"

I took the purple rose from him. Oh, the language of flowers.

I understood.

* * *

**I don't know what went wrong here, so pls comment k? I think all my inspirations are dying out... but i hoped it was still passable. Thanks! :) btw, the language of flowers is real ok? it wasn't just some random thing I made up. it's actually kinda cool- so many meanings! go google it if you're really free... **


	5. 5: Valentine's Day

A/N: I've finally got a bit of motivation to get off my butt and write another chapter. This is supposed to be for V Day, coz I said I would write something for V Day. Sorry if it's about 4 days late, but at least I wrote something right? :)

* * *

"My gosh, the person who created Valentine's Day should be shot, beheaded and killed if he isn't dead yet!" I exclaimed loudly into Rin's ear.

"Okay, okay. Chill. But Valentine's Day is a wonderful day, when love is in the air..." she said with a wistful sigh. I smacked her hard on the shoulder, feeling a sense of achievement when the action elicited a loud yelp of pain from her.

Shaking my head in disgust, I picked up my books from the table and started arranging them into a pile to dump into my locker. I walked out of the classroom, purposely not looking at the stalks of flowers littered all over the place. Girls and boys alike were passing around the multi-coloured flowers to one another. Some of the students' tables looked like a flower shop with all the roses and whatnot lying in a bunch on the table. I couldn't help but think of my wonderfully clean and uncluttered table, which thankfully, did not resemble a jungle.

A large sunflower was suddenly shoved right into my face and I saw the yellow petals waving to and fro in front of my eyes.

"Get that disgusting plant out of my face. The pollen is going to give me pimples."

"Chihiro, you're _so _unromantic, you know. Flowers are a symbol of _love_. You should be happy to receive them, not declining them. What kind of a girl are you?" Ayako, a classmate and one of the most irritating and girly girls I have ever known, sneered into my face.

"A strong girl that does not rely on material things to know that I am loved. Flowers will wilt and die. That's a very nice symbol of love, right?" Sarcasm. She gave me a look that told me she clearly did not find it funny and rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

Smirking, I walked over to my locker and twirled the dial on the padlock, opened the metal door and chucked my books in with a resounding thud. Then I reached further in my locker, feeling.

When I felt the smooth wood beneath my fingers, I gave an almost audible sigh of relief. I pulled my bokken out, caressing the glossy surface with my fingertips. When I was around boys, I had no idea how to act. But give me a bokken and I knew what to do with it. I grabbed my training gear and headed towards the small studio in school that also doubled for a dojo.

I tread the familiar path to my favourite place in the whole school, holding the bokken at my side. This way, most of the students making out would just leave me the hell alone. Thank goodness this stupid day was only once a year.

* * *

I pushed open the door to the large room, feeling a surge of cool air rushing out to meet my face. Then I noticed that the lights were on. Weird. I thought I would be the only in this place today. Quietly, I entered the room, kicking off my shoes at the doorstep and closing the door quietly behind me. I did not intend to alert this random intruder to my presence. Essentially, this was my territory, seeing as I spent most of the afternoons after school in this place. This person could either put up with me or go away.

I peered around the room, my eyes adjusting to the glaring brightness of the lights. Suddenly, I saw the tip of a practice sword aiming for my head. Instinctively, I brought the bokken up to shield my face.

"Hmm... Not bad for a little girl. Your reactions are quite fast. Seems that you know the art of the sword." A rich, silky voice echoed around the room. My head immediately snapped up and I eyed the owner of the voice through narrowed eyes.

"Who do you think you are, barging into my territory and calling me a little girl?" Me, being the headstrong rather argumentative person that I was, just had to retaliate. I had always been a little short-tempered, but I think due to it being V Day, my temper was just simmering below boiling point. It wouldn't help that I sometimes loved to pick fights.

The boy- for it was a boy, though with unusually long hair- regarded me with a curious look. I raised an eyebrow. "What," I said coldly.

"Nothing. I'm just seeing what kind of a person you are."

I ignored the funny comment and walked past him, brushing his shoulder with mine as I walked to the far side of the studio to do my stretches. I closed my eyes and reached down to touch my toes. Then I straightened up and bent backwards. I stretched my arms, then sank to the floor to do my push-ups and sit-ups.

My eyes suddenly snapped open when I felt a sudden pressure on my feet as I was doing my third sit-up. The strange boy was anchoring my feet to the ground while I did my exercises.

"Wow. You have muscles."

"Go away! What is your problem, you crazy stalker? Can't you leave me in peace? Do not make me hit you with my bokken!" I snarled, reaching for my bokken as I stood up. He quickly moved a step back as I swung viciously at his head. As I got into a rhythm, I felt the adrenaline flowing through my veins, fueling my movements and helping me to react faster. I did an overhead swing and brought the bokken down towards his head. But with a movement that was unbelievably fast, he had brought his own sword up to block my attack. I swore under my breath and redoubled my efforts. However, I was secretly happy to be venting my frustration on something.

I flowed through the complex movements, using the intricate footwork that my teacher had taught me. The resounding crack of wood on wood echoed through the studio, the glass mirrors on the wall reflecting our struggle. Sometimes, it seemed as though I had the upper hand. Then he would suddenly counter with a surprise attack, putting me on my guard again. At other times, it seemed as though he was winning. Then, I would spot a loophole in his defenses and attack it mercilessly, causing him to retreat a few steps back.

Out of the blue, I saw it. My chance- an opening in his defenses. I swooped in, bringing my bokken towards his neck and unleashing a yell. My wooden sword touched the skin of his neck. At the same time, I felt the brush of his sword on my neck. I froze, staring into his deep, green eyes. He stared back at me. As I looked into his shining orbs, I felt an emotion stir inside me, but it was fleeting, leaving me in confusion.

"You're good," he panted. Then he withdrew his weapon from my neck. I did the same.

"So are you."

He nodded in acknowledgement, flashing a grin at me.

"Would you like me to give you a bouquet of flowers to congratulate you? And it is Valentine's Day after all."

"Nah, I can't stand flowers. They're so superficial."

"Really? I think so too, but you're the first girl I've met who thinks so."

"You and the rest of the world," I sighed, walking to the towel lying on top of my bag by the door. "Valentines' is a stupid day anyway. Don't know why it even exists. It's like we only show our love on this day. Amazing." I snorted and bent down to get the towel.

"Such a cynic." I flinched as I suddenly felt him standing right behind me, his breath on my ears made my skin tingle. I spun around in alarm, crashing directly into him.

"You are very unromantic for a girl, you know?" He continued with his sentence. I raised an eyebrow at this. We were practically nose to nose.

"Like I haven't heard that before- " My sentence was suddenly cut off as his lips suddenly touched mine. I stiffened in surprise. Then instinct took over and I closed my eyes.

He drew back and I looked questioningly at him.

"What was that for?" I asked bluntly.

"I just felt like doing it," he replied with a shrug.

"And I don't even know your name," I added, frowning at him.

"I'm Haku."

"Chihiro," I said with a dry smirk.

Me, Chihiro Ogino, the unromantic one, talking to a boy who had just kissed me.

How romantic.

* * *

I have officially finished another chapter! Ain't that awesome? :D Reviews and comments are welcome, of course. Sorry for the previous 2 chapters or something. They are really very badly written. Because I am actually suffering from a serious lack of sleep now, due to school. Test are coming in less than a week. So don't expect updates very frequently k? I'll try to edit the previous chappies soon. And thanks for yr reviews! :D


	6. 6: Stars

A/N: Wow, I can't believe i actually wrote this when I have a test on Monday. Well, read & enjoy, I guess. But if my marks, go down, I'll know why.

* * *

The sky was just turning dark as Chihiro rose from the large bed. She yawned widely before stretching, looking at the last rays of orange light that pierced through the drapes that covered the window.

She walked unhurriedly towards the balcony at the corner of the room, sliding open the glass door silently. The cool night air washed over her, ruffling her bangs and taking away the last dregs of sleep. Chihiro stepped onto the balcony and rested her arms of the parapet. She observed the vast grounds of the bathhouse spread out below her, its inhabitants just beginning to rise from their slumber in preparation for the night's work. Steam was already rising in a steady stream from the boiler room. Lights twinkled on all over the building as she rested her chin between her hands, taking in the sights and sounds of another wonderfully calm night. On a whim, she pushed down on her hands and swung her legs up onto the parapet of the balcony, perching precariously on the low wall, her legs dangling in thin air. She rested both of her hands on the parapet on either side of her body and relaxed, letting the night breeze caress her hair and stared up at the multitude of stars against the dark velvet backdrop of the night sky.

Then she felt arms encircle her waist. A breath of warm air tickled her cheek as the person's chin rested on her shoulder.

"Haku..." she breathed, his name slipping easily from her tongue.

"Why you would be awake so early and in such a dangerous position is beyond me. You should still be relaxing in bed. The bathhouse hasn't even started work yet, you know."

"I couldn't sleep. Look at the stars, Haku! Aren't they pretty? They're so many of them!" She laid one of her hands on his, wrapping it tighter around her body and relishing the warmth of his embrace.

"The sky spirit must be in a good mood today. Yes, they're pretty. But you're much more beautiful, you know?" he whispered teasingly into her ear. His breath tickled the sensitive spot, sending tingles racing across her skin. She rolled her eyes and lightly smacked the hand that was wrapped around her.

"You always exaggerate too much! Flattering people isn't good. But the stars are really beautiful. If only I could have a star," she mused quietly to herself, unaware of what her husband was thinking.

"But you can," he said softly, pulling himself up onto the parapet beside her. She rested her head on his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his torso. He pulled her closer, letting her silky brown strands of hair brush against his cheek. Suddenly, he whispered a few unintelligible words under his breath.

A white flash suddenly illuminated the couple and Haku reached out his hand, pulling something shiny from the air before him.

"What just happened? What did you do now?" Chihiro asked, confused. She was used to these sudden displays of magic, but never knew what was going to happen when people used it. Her husband especially, loved to do these impromptu 'tricks', most of them just to surprise her or make her laugh. But each time it happened, it became more extravagant than the previous occasion. The last time, Haku had pulled a bunch of roses out of nowhere and presented it to her as a Valentine's Day gift. It was rather surprising, but thoughtful of him all the same. She was not sure what he was up to this time.

"Here."

Haku reached out towards her with both hands, something shiny dangling from between his fingers. Using one hand, he swept her mass of chocolate-brown hair over her shoulder, then he covered her eyes. "Keep your eyes closed," he warned her. Chihiro felt nothing at first, then she felt a small weight settle on her collarbone. His fingers brushed her neck. Then she felt him kiss her lightly. She kissed him back, before pulling back to look at what he had just done.

There, around her throat, was the most beautiful and delicate necklace she had ever seen. The chain itself was made of silver and was slim and artfully made, coiling around her throat elegantly. But it was the pendant that took her breath away. It was shaped like a small star, and gleamed as brightly as one of them. The star itself seemed to emit a strange faint glow, and had beautifully engraved patterns covering it. She gasped in astonishment at the gift.

"It's beautiful!" she gasped to Haku. "Thank you." Then she gave him a sweet kiss in return for her present.

"I captured the essence of a star for you. Now you have your own little star, just like you wanted," he told her, a soft look in his exquisite emerald orbs.

"Thank you. I love it. But you didn't have to do that for me. You always spoil me, which is kind of bad for you. Because then I will always want something from you, especially things I can't have," she winked mischievously at him, her fingers reaching up to caress the small, shining pendant.

"Really..." he drawled, giving her a sly look from the corner of his eyes. "So what do you want now?"

"You."

"I don't count. You already have me."

"I do? So you'll always be there for me?"

"Always."

"Even if I fall?"

"Of course! But I would catch you first."

A cunning plan popped into Chihiro's head. She would test his commitment to her.

"Then would you still catch me if I jumped off this building?" And she promptly jumped off the parapet, stifling a shriek as she felt the air whip her hair and clothes into a frenzy, plummeting towards the ground that was over fifteen storeys below her.

Haku immediately leapt to his feet, instincts kicking in as he realized the crazy action Chihiro had just done.

Almost without thinking, he also leapt off the parapet, smoothly transforming into the long, white beast that was his other form.

He flew downwards hastily to catch his beloved, his pearlescent scales shining and sparkling in the bright moonlight. Just like Chihiro's pendant.

Just like the stars.

* * *

A/N: Btw, I just want to thank all those nice people who added this crazy rambling bunch of words to their fav list! :D u guys r my motivation. but i would love some reviews, coz i have no idea how to improve. just sayin'. And THANKS FOR READING! :)))


	7. 7: Lesson

A/N: Sorry for the really late update. Enjoy and hope it isn't too bad. Inspired during class. :)

* * *

He had never realized before just how pretty she was.

Long legs that were accentuated by her short, pleated uniform skirt. A slim waist that made him fantasize about wrapping his arms around her. An eye-catching shade of chocolate brown hair that made her stand out from the rest of the people with black hair. In the morning sunlight that filtered in from the open window, her hair glowed a beautiful golden hue. He couldn't keep his eyes off of her. Whenever she curled a lock of her hair around her fingers, all he could think of was running his hand through her hair and feeling its silky texture.

Haku groaned in despair. He could not even keep his eyes away from her, need not even mention paying attention to the teacher. He rested his head in his hands and tried to keep his mind clear of all thoughts. However, she must have felt his gaze upon her, for Chihiro turned around and stared directly into his eyes. Transfixed, he felt himself drowning in the twin pools of chocolate. The gods must have been against him, for the teacher called his name at that exact moment and asked him a question.

Chihiro just shot him a sympathetic smile and twisted back around in her seat to face the front. Rising from his seat, he felt like all the spotlights in the world were trained onto him. He gulped and ran a whole string of curses through his mind. Of all the times to be staring at a girl, it had to be during a lesson.

"I'm sorry. What was the question?" Confused and disoriented, that was the first thing that he could mumble.

His classmates broke out into fits of giggles. But above all the laughter, he heard a soft melodious laugh that resounded in his ears. The teacher shot him a dirty look. "See me after class to arrange your detention."

Resigned to his fate, he heaved a mournful sigh and slumped down in his chair, trying his best to ignore a certain brunette sitting in front of him.

* * *

Throughout the whole lesson, all thoughts were focused on what he could say to her later. Maybe ask her out? But he had no idea how on earth to do that. Most of the time, the girls were the ones that did the asking. What if he got rejected? Oh, the shame and humiliation!

His friend sitting beside him in class could not help but notice Haku's internal struggle.

"What's up, dude? You look like a lovesick fool, torn between some internal dilemma." All Haku could do was give him a pained look. "You wouldn't understand," he muttered in reply.

"Oh, yeah? Try me," his friend, Ryu, whispered back.

"Okay, fine. Well, I kind of like this girl... and I have no idea what to do about it. Some help?"

"You goon! Why didn't you say so earlier! This is my area of expertise. So, who's the lucky girl?" Ryu waggled his eyebrows at Haku.

"Not telling," sighed Haku, reluctant to talk about the object of his affections. And he was not a moment too soon, for their teacher's eagle eyes suddenly focused on them. Without a word, she stalked up the aisle towards them and smacked them both hard on the back of their heads with a book.

"Bitch," they both mumbled in unison once her back was turned. And the class once again started sniggering. Haku was rewarded with a mischievous wink from a certain doe-eyed girl, which made the pain from his head suddenly seem inconsequential.

* * *

After class, Haku stood at his locker door, twisting the combination for his locker with nimble fingers while his mind was still pondering the mysteries of love.

Out of the blue, he sensed someone watching him from the side. Turning his head slightly, he looked at the person in question, and his eyes almost popped out from their sockets- for there stood Chihiro.

"Hey," she smirked. A corner of her lips pulled upwards in a grin. "You seemed really focused during class just now. Focused on me, that is. What's up?"

Speechless, Haku just stood there staring at her. Finally, he managed to force something coherent from his lips. "You noticed?"

She just lifted one of her eyebrows in response. Feeling suddenly sheepish, he raised a hand to his head and ran his fingers through the dark green locks. Exhaling in a big gust, he decided to just get it off his chest. Even if she rejected him, at least he could tell Ryu that he tried, right?

"So, Chihiro... I like you and I want to go out with you."

Well, it could have been worse, he decided. Haku looked at her intently. She seemed a little surprised at his bluntness and blinked a few times. Then, a smile suddenly broke out across her face, lighting it up like the sun. Her radiance stunned him into silence.

"Okay then! Meet you here after your... detention?" She turned to walk away and then looked after her shoulder at him expectantly. He laughed then. Relief and ecstasy flooding through him. "Sure!"

Feeling uplifted, he turned back to open his locker, only to hear footsteps racing towards him. He turned towards the sound and was met with a face of brown hair. Chihiro? He felt her embrace him and automatically wound his arms around her, feeling her small, slim waist. She stood on her toes and pecked him on the cheek. "I forgot to tell you to pay attention during lessons. Don't be so... distracted." She then flashed a sly grin at him and turned around to walk to her next class.

Haku had gone past the stage of any comprehensible thought. Dazed, he reached a hand to his cheek to feel the spot she had kissed. Then he turned back to his locker... and got hit in the face by the metal door.

"Hopeless," he heard Ryu mutter as he walked by in the hall.

Haku continued to grin like a lovesick fool.

* * *

Thanks for reading! Sorry for the late update. I was kinda held up with my tests and stuff. But now it's the one week hols and I'm gonna try to update while I can. Sorry if this story is a bit abrupt and weird. It was a random idea I had during class, so sorry if this is not up to standard. Please read, enjoy and review if you want! And a big thanks to all those ppl who reviewed, added me as a fave or story alerted this thing. :)


	8. 8: Bus

A/N: I got this out quite fast, so I'm a bit hesitant about whether it is up to my standard. Anyway, hope you enjoy this really short chapter. I was on the bus at the time when I thought of this. ;)

* * *

The constant rumbling of the bus and the incessant chatter of all the nameless people were putting him to sleep. Haku rested his head against the cool glass of the window and let his eyes slide close. A sudden jerk caused him to whack his head against the hard surface. Rubbing his head and muttering a few choice swear words, he sat up straight in his seat and turned his glare to the innocent people boarding the bus.

Three people had boarded the bus: one man and two girls. His eyes were immediately drawn to the taller of the two girls. She had long, brown hair that flowed to the middle of her back. After paying her fare, she stooped down to pick up her bag from the floor and turned to look for a seat. She looked at the partially empty bus, then her eyes were drawn to Haku's curious green gaze. She began to walk in his direction and stopped at the empty seat beside him.

"Can I sit here?"

Speechless, Haku gave a wordless nod of consent and continued to gape at her. She gave a small smile and sat down beside him, her arm brushing his in the process. Haku almost gave a sigh when he felt her warm skin graze against his. As she turned to place her bag on the floor beside her, her mahogany tresses tumbled over her shoulder like a hazel waterfall. She abruptly sat up again and met Haku's emerald stare with her brown eyes. Their gazes locked onto each other's. At that moment, all Haku could think of was this strange girl who had bewitched him in the time it took for her to board the bus and sit down, and the sweet, floral smell that seemed to come from her hair.

* * *

Chihiro was surprised when she met the intense jade gaze of the strange boy. Never before had she felt such emotion coursing through her. It was weird. Embarrassed, she ducked her head and let her hair fall forwards to block her slightly red face from his view. But she was curious of this boy who had a strange interest in her. However, she was going to alight from the bus in two stops. Clutching her wallet tightly in her hand, she began to think of a way to get through to him.

* * *

The bell alerted everyone on the bus that someone was about to alight. Surprised and disappointed, Haku felt the girl beside him rise from her seat. He turned towards her and looked at her, wanting to commit her face to memory. She turned back to him and gave him a warm grin.

'See you,' she mouthed.

Taken aback, Haku could just look wordlessly at her retreating back, not comprehending her words. He saw her alight from the bus and walk off without a backward glance. Then, his gaze fell on a certain teal-coloured object lying on the seat beside his. Out of sheer curiosity, he picked up the wallet and opened it. He saw a familiar face on one of the cards in the wallet. Ogino Chihiro, it read.

Well, he would probably see her again then, just like she said. After all, a wallet was a _very _important thing, was it not? It wouldn't be polite to keep it.

Haku clutched the wallet tightly in his hands as the bus moved on.

* * *

A/N: Hey, hey! I posted 2 stories within 2 days, ain't that awesome? But sorry coz it was shorter than normal. Anyway, sorry to disappoint those who wanted a longer chapter. I'll try to get one out soon asap. Hope you enjoyed this. Please feel free to review. I need the motivation too! But it is a LOT of fun to write these things. Haha! :) Thanks for reading!


	9. 9: Spring

A/N: This is dedicated to one of my readers/ reviewers who gave me a suggestion to do something 'spring-y'. So, this is my interpretation of it. Hope you like it! (you know who you are). And thanks for yr comments & support. Love ya! :)

* * *

It was spring again. The time for new beginnings and new starts. But the past was not to be forgotten as well.

Haku strolled down the path, lost in his own thoughts as his feet carried him down the very familiar trail. He thought of all the times he had come and she was not here. He wondered if this year was to be different. Haku remembered the promise they had made when they were kids. How they promised each other that they would meet at the tree every spring just so they could see each other again. But from the time they made that promise till now, almost ten years later, she had not shown up once. Yet, year after year, he had continued to come, faithfully keeping to their promise.

* * *

She wondered if he still remembered the promise they had made to each other that spring. The promise... that she had not kept. She wondered if he still went there every spring, even though she did not. She desperately hoped he did, for this spring, she would keep to that promise. Chihiro missed him, but she had not been able to come before, until this year. As she walked through the park that had once been so familiar to her, all the memories came flooding back to her. And she remembered him... and the tree. The tree, of course, how could she forget?

* * *

"_Isn't it big, Chihiro? It's so tall! And the flowers smell wonderful, just like you." He bent down and picked one of the fragrant blossoms off the ground. He examined it carefully before gently placing it in her hair._

"_There!" Haku was pleased with himself. "You are pretty... and the flower's pretty too! It matches." Chihiro blushed at his compliments and whispered her thanks to him. Holding hands, the two young children walked slowly around the trunk of the great tree, wondering at its size._

_

* * *

_

Now, the great tree was in sight. It had not lost its majesty with the years. In fact, it seemed to have increased in height and splendor. To Chihiro, the tree was very special, a place where she had spent time with one of the most special people in the world. It was also where _that _incident had occurred. Her first. Even now, as she recalled it, a light blush tinted her cheeks.

* * *

_It was a familiar practise now. The two teens would meet at the base of the tree, then intertwine their hands and slowly walk around the trunk, talking about anything and everything. _

_This time, it seemed a bit different to Chihiro. Haku had bent down and picked up one of the pretty flowers that had drifted down from the boughs of the great tree. He carefully tucked the flower behind her ear then stepped back to admire her. It reminded Chihiro of the time when they were both kids. Though a few years had passed, the feelings between them had not changed much, only to develop and strengthen their relationship. _

"_In a few months, I'm leaving." Chihiro had whispered the dreaded words to him, and they hung between both of them like one of the falling flowers, suspended in the breeze. Slowly, he turned to meet her eyes. She saw an unusually serious expression in his emerald orbs._

"_Then promise me one thing," he whispered to her, brushing a strand of her hair away from her face. "Promise me that you'll never forget us. That we'll see each other again in the future. I want you to promise that every spring, on this exact day, we'll meet at this tree."_

"_I promise," she told him. He could see unshed tears in her eyes._

"_Promise?"_

"_Promise."_

_

* * *

_

It was then that they had shared their first kiss. It had sealed their promise. But it was a promise that she had gone back on. Now he wondered, did she even intend to keep it in the first place? Shaking the doubts from his mind, Haku stopped and stared at the bark of the tree, running his fingers over the rough wood, feeling the grooves and callouses of the bark. So different from the soft warmth of her hand. Sighing, he turned to go, realizing that it was yet another year that she had left her promise unfulfilled.

Suddenly, he stopped.

* * *

The young man before her could not be the boy from her youth, could it? Dark, shoulder-length hair. It was not as green as she remembered, though. Hesitantly, she stepped forward, unsure if the green-eyed man before her recognized her.

"Chihiro?" Shock colored his voice and his moss-colored eyes were wide. The woman nodded, her long brown ponytail bobbing from the movement. Apparently, that was all the recognition she needed.

She practically flew forwards into his arms, embracing him for the first time in years.

As she hugged him, unshed tears from so long ago flowed freely down her cheeks. He had waited after all. Even though she had not come, he had kept to his promise, faithfully, year after year. Every spring was no different it seemed, he would be waiting at the tree for her.

Their lips met. She remembered that time, when they were younger. It had been the same. Her hands went up to cradle his face while his arms snaked around her waist, holding her close.

* * *

"_I'll always wait for you. Remember that, okay? And one day in the future, we'll get married at this big, old tree." Their innocent words extracted several indulgent smiles from passing adults. They held hands and stared into each other's eyes. Mahogany and emerald. _

"_Really? You'll always wait for me? Will we have kids too?" She flashed a shy smile at the boy. He nodded vigorously._

"_Of course!"_

_She had laughed at that. Bubbling with delight, she had leaned in to embrace him and plant a kiss on his cheek.

* * *

_

Around them, spring had arrived. The flowers in the tree were just beginning to blossom and their fragrance permeated the air. A single flower drifted down from the boughs of the great tree. Down, down, where it landed at the feet of a couple.

Spring. New beginnings... and old reunions.

* * *

A/N: Hope that was alright for you! Thanks again for your support and have a wonderful spring! :) for me, it's eternally summer. Not that it's all that good or bad, but yeah. Comments & criticisms welcome! I dunno about you guys, but I strangely like this story... anyway, let's not be ego, shall we? ;) I have another idea (kind of) for this too, but I haven't finished writing it. I'll see how it turns out before (maybe) posting it. it kind of centres around spring too, so hope you guys aren't bored of this yet. Thanks for reading!


	10. 10: Fool

A/N: Ok, this is yet another chapter. Hope you like it! Sorry for updating so late!

* * *

Chihiro had finally decided on what she was going to do. Now, she just had to carry it out, if she could. What would happen if everything went wrong? Then she would be left with nothing.

She walked towards her locker, deep in thought. Suddenly, she spotted her boyfriend at the other end of the corridor, just coming out from one of his classes. He had apparently seen her as well, for he strode quickly towards her, a bright smile on his face that could stop the sun in its tracks. She pretended not to see him and turned to open her locker. Out of the blue, she felt a pair of strong, warm arms wrap around her waist. Chihiro resisted the urge to lean back into his embrace. She continued to ignore him, but his hold on her only tightened.

"You seem to be very tense today. I wonder why?"

"Haku, I... I need to tell you something," she said, feeling his warm breath tickle her ear. But she could not bear to look at him yet and continued to rearrange the objects in her locker.

"What is it?"

She stopped what she was doing and looked directly into his beautiful green eyes.

"We have to break up."

Her words dropped like stones, each syllable clear and distinct. She did not miss the way his eyebrows went up in surprise or how his eyes widened.

"What?" Haku's head spun. He could not wrap his head around the fact that the love of his life was about to leave him.

"We can't be together. I meant what I said, that we should break up," Chihiro told him, still looking into his eyes, she thought she saw a flash of some unidentified emotion, but it was quickly suppressed and his expression became cool, withdrawn. She hated his emotionless mask.

"Why? Did I do anything wrong?"

"No, it's not you," she sighed. "It's me, okay? It's just that I'm not good enough for you and you deserve so much better! I have no idea why you even like me, so I think it would be better if you found someone else." Chihiro desperately hoped that she was not overdoing things. He was taking this quite badly, it seemed. She watched his face and could see that he was trying hard to rein his emotions in. Despite everything, it hurt her to know that she was hurting him. "Haku..."

She lifted a hand to touch his cheek, surprised when he abruptly grabbed her hand, pressing it to his face. He closed his eyes. "Don't do this, Chihiro, please. You're too good for me, actually. You don't know how much you mean to me."

She was genuinely taken aback. Did Haku just...?

"Haku." She had to tell him now. Before it got worse. But he did not want to listen to her. Haku just sighed and kept his eyes closed.

"Haku." She tried again. Still no response.

"Haku!" He must have heard something in her voice, for he opened his eyes and looked up into her face.

"Chihiro, what...?" It was then he noticed that her lips were curved up slightly in a smile, but he also saw the slight wetness in her hazel eyes. Chihiro laughed weakly. Then she gave him a hug and buried her face into his neck. Surprised and confused, he hugged her back, drawing her tight against his body. He could feel her shaking against him and pulled back slightly, concerned.

Cupping her face in his hands, he realized that she was... laughing? Wait a moment, what day was it?

Then it suddenly hit him like a lightning bolt and realization dawned on him.

* * *

Chihiro caught his sudden look of understanding and knew that her game was over. "Oops," she mouthed to him. Then she nimbly ducked out from his embrace, slamming her locker door shut and turned on her heel to escape.

"Come back here!" he growled behind her.

"Never!" she yelled back, giggling. Out of nowhere, the wind was knocked out of her as she was tackled from behind and pinned to the lockers.

"What did you say?" Haku whispered to her. His face was just inches from hers and she could feel his warm breath on her skin. Trapped between him and the lockers behind her, she had nowhere to run. She grinned suddenly and said, "April Fools!", before bursting into uncontrollable and infectious laughter, simultaneously trying to wriggle her way out of Haku's strong grasp. But Haku was having none of that. He pushed her firmly against the lockers before forcefully pressing his lips down on hers. Stunned, she stopped struggling. Without hesitation, he inserted his tongue between Chihiro's lips and explored her mouth. After a few seconds, she gave in and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her.

Haku broke the kiss and pulled back to stare at her, panting slightly. Then he narrowed his emerald orbs and glared at her.

"That was _so_ not funny."

"It was the funniest prank ever and you know it!"

"You shouldn't toy with people's feelings like that. It's not nice. If you do it again, I'll really brea-"

He wasn't able to finish his sentence, for Chihiro had pulled his head down again and kissed him.

At that moment, the bell rang.

They sprang apart and looked at each other, wondering what to do. Then Haku broke out into a smile.

"I'd rather spend April Fool's Day with my girlfriend instead of going to class." Chihiro grinned.

"I should prank you all the time, then."

* * *

A/N: WOOTS! I just finished another chapter. This is for April Fools' Day, if it wasn't obvious enough. And sorry for a super-duper late update. I was just so caught up in school and stuff. If not I would update every weekend or something. I'm getting really depressed by school. Hope I survive. Anw, hope you liked this one and please review? :) Thanks! And thanks to those who reviewed, it warmed the cockles of my heart! Seriously.


	11. 11: Play

A/N: Ok, this proves that I have not totally vanished off the face of the earth. This is kinda short, and I'm not very pleased with it. But at least I wrote something...

* * *

Oh, yeah. Life totally sucks sometimes, especially at times like these.

Chihiro decided that she had taken enough crap from everyone. Since they could not even decide something as inconsequential as this, _she _would do it. She had had enough.

"Okay, you know what? Everyone, LISTEN UP!" Silence met her words. It was surprising how the normally quiet, demure girl could make such a sudden outburst. They stared. She scowled at them. "If all you wimpy, _girly_ ninnies want to play the stupid princess, so be it. _I'll _be the wicked witch, okay? Just stop arguing, damn it!" Then she stomped off the stage and sat herself down at the piano which was situated at the foot of the stage.

Chihiro angrily rifled through some of the music sheets that they were using for the play. Pulling out a random piece, she slammed the folder shut and positioned her fingers on the black and white keys. She began to play, her fingers moving fluidly over the keys, the music flooding the hall. Unaware of all her other classmates gaping open-mouthed at her, Chihiro let the music swell, soothing her frustrations and taking over her mind completely. This reminded her of why she was still in this useless dump of a school, putting up with fools everyday.

"This play is a waste of time, isn't it?"

A silky voice sounded behind her ear, startling her out of her meditative state. She stopped playing and turned around to give the speaker a glare. "What do you want?"

"I never knew you could be so fierce. Neither did I know that you were such a good pianist. I have misjudged you, Ogino Chihiro," said Haku, one of the less obnoxious boys in her class. She shrugged grumpily and turned back to her piano.

"Wait-" She suddenly felt a warm hand on her arm, pulling her back and preventing her from turning away from him.

Chihiro had never known Haku very well before, only that he was one of the smarter students among a bunch of idiots. Not that she was _that_ perfect herself, but still. However, to have him treat her in such a familiar way made her feel confused and to be honest, a bit thrown off. Seldom did boys willingly want to talk to girls. Furthermore one who was more introverted like her.

"You're not like other girls I've met," Haku stated bluntly. Chihiro almost groaned, thinking that he was going to insult her for her non-girliness. She raised an eyebrow at him. "How so?"

He examined her from top to bottom. She blushed slightly under his intense gaze. "You're just different," he said, "but not necessarily in a bad way."

Chihiro did not know how to respond to that. Slowly, she turned back around to face the piano keys. Then she felt a sheaf of papers being stuffed into her hands. She grasped them and turned to look at the person who gave them to her. All she saw was the retreating back of Haku.

Suddenly he turned around and gave smirked at her over his shoulder. Then he called out to the rest of the class milling about on the stage, "I'll be the witch's apprentice, then!". He strolled towards the doors of the hall without a backward glance.

Looking down at the papers in her hands, Chihiro realized that they were the piano scores of a music piece, with the title: You Belong With Me. Trying hard not to read too much into the title of the piece, her attention was caught by a brightly-colored Post-it stuck onto the front sheet of the scores.

_Meet me at the field after this shindig has ended._

It was hard not to read into that.

* * *

A/N: Sorry for the super late update! I have been feeling the stress of homework and tests lately and I actually have a test tomorrow. But I felt like updating, and this story had been on my com for a while. Writing makes me feel less depressed. I think this was not very good, so I need some input? Thanks for reading! :) Reviews are welcome. :))


	12. 12: Bed

A/N: Wow, I actually managed to finish another chapter. But it is kinda short. This has been in my head for a while, so hope you like it. I kinda like writing non-AU stuff every now and then. :)

* * *

It was morning once again, the soft light of dawn just beginning to touch the petals of the flowers that thrived in the grounds of the bathhouse. The light refracted off the small droplets of dew that dotted the thousands of multi-hued plants in the lush garden, sparkling and shining like millions of diamonds.

Ten storeys above, Chihiro watched the breathtaking sunrise as she prepared for bed. Slowly, she eased her hair out of its customary ponytail, the glossy chestnut strands spilling like a hazel waterfall down her back. Her hair had grown longer since the day she first arrived in the mysterious Spirit World. Now, her brown locks reached her lower back. Reaching almost absentmindedly for the brush on her vanity, she glanced into the mirror, meeting the intense green gaze of her husband. She watched as he ran his fingers through his dark, greenish hair, the strands contrasting sharply against the stark whiteness of the bed on which he lay.

Haku lay motionless on the soft bed, transfixed by the sheer beauty of his wife. The scene was like a masterpiece painted by an artist, he mused, watching as the first rays of the sun glinted off Chihiro's mahogany tresses as she stood by the window, reflecting gold and brown. He watched as she brushed her thick hair, the brush in her hand moving in long, rhythmic strokes. Then, she turned into the mirror and met his stare. She must have noticed the love and longing in his eyes, for her own eyes softened and she gave him a gentle smile. He wondered how he had ever gotten such a wonderful mate.

"You're beautiful," he stated. She managed to shoot him a smile that seemed both flattered and impish.

"I know," she smiled. He grinned at that, smirking at her like a predator considering his prey. It sent shivers of anticipation up her spine. Turning slightly, he patted the space on the bed next to him, inviting her to join him. Deciding to be rather disobedient, she pouted playfully and shook her head. "Nope."

He cocked an eyebrow at her, which she found insanely attractive.

"I think I hate you today," she suddenly said, looking at his reflection in the mirror.

"Why?" Haku questioned, cocking his head to one side like an innocent child. She shrugged at him. "I don't know why yet, but I'll find a reason soon."

"Does that mean you won't be sleeping with me today?"

She considered that, then nodded. "Yes."

His expression of teasing suddenly changed into one of utter seriousness. Slowly, he shook his head. "No, that isn't allowed. You have to sleep with me every night, if not I can't go to sleep." Chihiro rolled her eyes at his exaggeration.

"Nope, not buying it." Gently, she set down her wooden hairbrush and turned to one side to find a hair tie for her hair. Suddenly, she found herself being spun around, with her back pressed against the wall, within the warm embrace of a certain very persistent dragon.

Haku nuzzled the warm skin of her neck. "I said that you can only sleep with me. You're not allowed to go anywhere," he murmured into the crook of her neck. The feeling of his warm breath on her skin sent her mind into a frenzy and she happily reciprocated the action when he finally claimed her lips with his. It had been a tiring day of work, after all, and she had missed him dearly, what with him being cooped up in his office all the time or meeting with important clients, not even being able to spare a few quiet moments with his beloved. It was frustrating for her. When Haku finally pulled back, she gave a small growl of annoyance, not yet finished ravishing his mouth.

Haku chuckled at her antics, caressing her cheek with his fingertips. "See? I'm irresistible, so you _should_ sleep with me."

"We'll see about that," she whispered in his ear. She nimbly stepped out of his grasp and walked to the bed. She lay down on her side and turned to face Haku. He stared at her hungrily while she gave him a flirtatious smile.

The next moment, she found herself pinned to the bed, her attention pleasantly occupied. Maybe she should not have bothered brushing her hair, seeing as it was going to get tangled again very soon.

* * *

A/N: I have officially finished another chapter of this insane collection. My stories are getting shorter and shorter, in case you haven't noticed. Sorry 'bout that, I don't really have a lot if ideas in my mind right now. A couple of suggestions would be nice. Anyway, my test are coming up in about two weeks, so updating may have to wait for a little while. It depends. But anw, thanks for reading and hoped you enjoyed it! :D


	13. 13: Sleep

A/N: Man, i can totally identify with this chapter, seeing as I'm suffering from sleep deprivation myself. I have to admit, this was quite out of the blue. But then again, when has anything I've written not been like that? So, read and hope you enjoy it! :) It _is _short, I know, I know.

* * *

He wearily slid open the wooden sliding door to enter his private quarters, not bothering to make sure that it was closed again soundlessly. Too tired to care about the muted slam of the door, he strode to the large mahogany desk situated in the middle of his office. Walking around to the back of the desk, he sank gratefully into the comfortable, large seat, thanking the gods that he remembered to place extra cushions at the back of the chair.

Haku reluctantly pulled a stack of paperwork towards him, deciding to try and get some work done before he turned in for the night. Talking about sleeping, he wondered where she was... Forget it. She was probably hanging out with Rin downstairs, gossiping about who knows what. Thinking of her always brought a smile to his face. Suddenly, the paperwork did not look as intimidating.

Still, he was in for a long night...

* * *

The words and numbers began to blur together, forming a mess of black and white. Groaning, he rubbed his eyes, tiredly brushing his fingers through his bangs. After realizing that he had been attempting to read the same sentence five times, yet nothing had registered in his mind, he decided to give up. Glancing out the glass wall behind him, he noticed a faint streak of pink just beyond the horizon. It was very late, or actually, _really_ early. Chihiro would kill him if she saw him in this state. Where was she, anyway? She had not appeared the whole night. Deciding to just give in to his weariness, he stood up slowly from his chair, only to find out that his legs had fallen asleep on him.

Unsteadily, Haku made his way towards the bedroom, turning around halfway across the office to flick his fingers briefly at the desk, which immediately began to reorganize itself. He pushed against the shoji door with one thought in mind: sleep. However, the scene before him made him stop in his tracks.

Chihiro lay curled up in the middle of the large, king-sized bed. Her legs were drawn up to her chest and her hands rested beneath her head. She looked childlike and peaceful, reminding him of their fateful meeting so many years ago when she was still a mere little girl. Not that she was an extremely mature grown-up now, but he had been seeing the woman in her more often as of late. Still, there were those rare moments, like now, when he again realized how young and innocent his mate was.

Haku watched her as she slept. When she started to twitch in her sleep, he was shaken out of his daze and brought back to the present. He crossed the room slowly, stopping before the bed and bending down to smooth her hair back from her face. When she whimpered and grew restless, he realized that she must have been having a bad dream. He walked towards the wardrobe against the left wall of the room and took out a silken sleeping kimono which he traded for his daily working attire.

"No... Haku... No, don't!" Chihiro cried out in her sleep startling Haku from his stupor. He quickly spun around to face her.

"Chihiro? What's wrong?" She tossed and turned, distressed. He walked towards her and sat on the edge of the bed, stroking her hair and holding her hand tightly in his, murmuring words of comfort to her.

After a while,she slowly relaxed back into her previous state of blissful rest. Thinking that it was about time he rest too, Haku got up to cross to his side of the bed. Then he paused. Reverting instead to his dragon form, he opted to wrap his lithe, opalescent body around her, completely enclosing her within his warm, protecting embrace

Thus defending his mate against other nightmares, the dragon slowly fell asleep.

* * *

A/N: I have finished yet another chapter! Woots! I'm about to go to sleep myself, seeing as its past midnight and I have school tomorrow. Tired... Well, my tests are coming up, so my life is really quite sad, I must say. But look forward to Good Friday, people! I might have another chapter out by then. Oops, my mom just came to check on me, so, night night, people! Thanks for reading and hope you enjoyed it. I know it was really short. :p reviews are welcome. :))


	14. 14: Bad Day

A/N: This was randomly thought up. Kinda inspired by what I went through this morning. Sucks when you're late and the stupid bus takes ages. What on earth are the bus drivers doing?

* * *

Today was a very sucky day. From the moment she woke up and realized she was one hour late for her meeting to realizing that she would not be able to enjoy the breakfast her mom had prepared for her that morning. And of all the mornings, it had to be the one in which there was French toast for breakfast, which of course was _so not _her favorite breakfast! Oh great, this was such a wonderful start to the day!

While walking to the bus-stop, she took out her phone, intending to listen to some relaxing music, but of course she had forgotten to charge her phone last night and there was only ten percent of the battery left. That was the moment where her bus just zoomed past her, totally ignoring the poor little girl who was already late and could not afford to spare another moment.

Another half hour later, she finally got onto the bus and stood sullenly at one corner. Internally, she was cursing everyone on the bus, wondering how they had all gotten a seat, except for her. A few stops later, the bus was fuller than before and she felt so stifled standing near so many people.

Just then, the bus turned sharply and everyone standing grabbed onto something to steady themselves. As luck would have it, Chihiro had been zoning out and her reaction was not fast enough to grab onto the bar in front of her. Following the momentum of the bus, she swayed and crashed right into someone standing to her right.

"Ouch! Oh, shit! I'm _so _sorry! Are you okay? I didn't injure you or anything did I?" she hurriedly questioned the boy she had hit. She ran a string of curses through her mind, thinking that the gods hated her today. Then she realized that the boy was looking at her strangely, a rather cute boy. She blushed a deep red, embarrassed. She just wanted to jump out of the bus and into the oncoming traffic. Never before had she been so thoroughly humiliated. Hanging her head in despair and shame, she shuffled back into her original position, avoiding all eye-contact with the boy.

"Bad day, huh?" Her head whipped up of its own accord and she met the sympathetic green gaze of the boy who had spoken. Flushing in shame yet again, she gave a slight nod and a gusty sigh. Chihiro could feel the beginnings of a major migraine.

"Well, don't let it get you down," he said kindly. Then he added, "Are you from my school?" Chihiro glanced up at him, slightly bewildered at his sudden question. Then she caught sight of her familiar school crest emblazoned on the front of his sweater. "Oh... uh, yeah."

"No wonder. You looked familiar. Your brown hair really stands out from the crowd. My name's Haku, by the way." She did a double take. How on earth had she never noticed such a good-looking guy in her school before?

The bus suddenly jerked to a stop. He gave her a friendly smirk. "This is my stop. So, I guess I'll see you in school... Chihiro." He patted her head gently before alighting from the bus. She turned red at his sweet gesture. Wait... how on earth had he known her name?

The door of the bus began to close, the bus rumbling to life again. Just as the bus was pulling out of the bus-stop, she suddenly caught sight of him again. That good-looking boy. Haku. Apparently, he had seen her too, for he gave a beautiful, lopsided smile that made her heart flop in her chest.

Maybe the day wouldn't be so bad after all.

* * *

A/N: I have finished yet another one. Short and weird, but there you have it. Hope you guys enjoyed it. i have no idea why I'm writing when I'm supposed to be studying, but yeah. Don't you love Good Friday? Thanks for reading! Reviews are welcome. :))


	15. 15: Girls

A/N: Wow, I can't believe i wrote 2 stories in one day? Amazing, no? :) Anyway, hope you guys like it. It's longer, so don't complain. This was rather out of the blue, by the way. Can't believe I actually wrote something like this.

* * *

I never knew how to act around them. They were so different, like some alien entity that I had no clue about whatsoever. Whenever people asked me what my greatest fear was, I would always mention them. Girls. I had no idea how some of my friends who had sisters ever dealt with them, especially during the awkward puberty age. That was the most sensitive time. I was always on my toes, aware of the hormones and emotions flying everywhere. Of course, I had my fair share of fangirls. My mother always told me that I was a good-looking guy. Not that I ever trusted her of course, weren't all mothers biased? But still, that didn't stop me from being stalked, asked out or gossiped about. How did I know? It was because sometimes whenever I went near a group of _those people_, they would suddenly start to giggle and give me those pointed looks. Me, wanting to keep my pride and dignity, would calmly go about my business and ignore their high-pitched laughter. However, that seemed to attract even more attention from the opposite gender.

Then, of course, the next thing people would ask was if I was gay, or if I was some kind of chauvinist. After a while, you would notice a familiar trend and find out the right way to deal with these sort of questions. From past experiences, I would know that vehement denials would get you nowhere, except maybe fuel some far-fetched rumors. I would always reply to these kind of questions with an intense glare, which would most likely send the curious person running. My green eyes could be scary, or so I was told.

But then, how on earth did I end up with a girlfriend? Thinking back, I have actually no clue how I managed it, except that she is the most important person to me in my rather screwed-up world. She had never been afraid of my emerald glare, nor been put off by my rather obvious repulsion of her kind. It was quite amazing actually. But of course, you had to be amazing to be able to interact with me. I still remember the first time we met.

* * *

_She was sitting quietly in the corner of the classroom, during lunch period, doing goodness knows what. Suddenly, I heard a whimper coming from her. Concerned and curious, I walked up to her._

"_What's wrong?"_

_Then I noticed that there were quite a number of tissues on her table. Tissues that were stained with blood. I looked at her and realized that her arm was bleeding from a long scratch down her forearm. Was she some emo cutter? Rather repulsed by the idea, I prepared to back away. But too late, for her uninjured arm had already reached out and grabbed my shirt, preventing me from escaping. "Could you get me some tissues, please?" _

_I had no choice but to obey her request. Grabbing a pack of clean tissues from the teacher's table, I sat down beside her and proceeded to help her stop the bleeding. "What happened?"_

"_Oh, I had some fight with this stupid bitch who was bullying a small girl. That crazy-assed girl scratched my arm." Oh. That was unexpected. So maybe she wasn't like the normal, self-absorbed girl._

* * *

That was the first time I had ever had a positive thought of a female. It was strange how I such a good impression of her on our first conversation. Then there was the next meeting I had with her. It seemed like she was a girl who went against every stereotypical thought I had ever had of females.

* * *

_She did not seem to like things that normal girls did. She did not wear skirts, nor did she like the color pink, flowers or hearts. It was very weird. But she always seemed to have a bit of green on her. Perhaps that was her favorite colour, which was strange, because it was mine too. _

_One time, during a free period when the teacher was absent from school, all the students were talking amongst themselves. The girls had bunched together as per normal, while we guys would just sit in our own places, not very interested in interacting. With the exceptions of the few noisy and obnoxious ones who were being rowdy. Suddenly, I overheard part of the girls' conversations. They were talking about her, asking her questions about herself._

"_Hey, Chihiro! You've never told us what was your favorite thing yet. Out of all the girls, you're the most different and tomboyish. If you don't like boys, then what do you like?" One of the gang leaders, a loud girl called Rin, asked her rudely. Chihiro looked slightly out of place and uncomfortable, like she did not really want to be spending time with the girls. _

_However, she still replied. "Dragons."_

_Her reply was filled with confidence and fervor. Now, her answer totally freaked me out, because I loved dragons as well. I even had a dream that I was a dragon once. It was quite a nice dream actually, except that I wasn't human. But I had loved every moment of it, like I had been born to fly the skies. _

_Suddenly, I found myself agreeing with her out loud. "Me too."_

_The conversation at the girls' table suddenly stopped. People sitting near me turned to stare at me as well. All except for her, Chihiro. She stood up and walked straight to me, a wide, joyful grin on her face. Her radiance almost blinded me. _

"_High-five!" she said enthusiastically, raising her hand in the air. Hesitantly, I raised my hand as well, meeting hers in mid-air. To my surprise, she intertwined our touching hands. I was stunned at that. But it was mostly due to the fact that the feel of her skin on mine made funny tingles run up my spine._

_It wasn't an unpleasant feeling._

* * *

Never before had I experienced such foreign feelings when it came to females. This strange girl who was so unique and different was making me rethink through all the concepts of girls in my head. I didn't not like her, but I had no idea what she was to me then. I didn't think of her as a close friend, but she wasn't on my female blacklist either.

* * *

"_Haku, could you please, please, please help me collect all the homework from the teachers in school today and bring it to my house for me later?" She had suddenly called my house phone with this unusual request. It was... different. Never before had a girl ever asked me something like this on my own house phone. What was wrong? Was she sick? Hopefully, it wasn't too serious._

"_Uh... okay. But can I ask why me?" I tentatively asked her. She gave a rather throaty chuckle. Obviously, she wasn't feeling very well._

"_It's because you're one of the most trustworthy guys I know and I don't like the girls in school very much." I had no idea how to react to that. Was she complimenting me or what? So I gave a grunt and hung up the phone as fast as I could. _

_But the next day after school, I was feeling rather apprehensive as I followed the directions she had give me to her house. I almost considered leaving her things on the doorstep, ringing the bell and running away. But I was a guy, so I had to have the courage. I rang the doorbell and waited._

_She answered the door. I could only stare dumbly at her as she stood in the doorway, a rather shy expression on her face. _

"_Sorry."_

_She seemed to have just come from bed, still wearing her sleeping wear, which was a form-fitting white camisole and a pair of really short shorts. I had to admit, she looked... good. Her hair was down from its usual ponytail, the silken strands of brown spilling over her shoulder. Her cheeks were tinged a slight pink, either from the fever, or something else. Wordlessly, I handed her work over to her._

"_Thanks," she whispered. Suddenly, she took a step towards me and hugged me. Reacting instinctively, my own arms went to encircle her small waist. "No problem." She shot me a smile and stepped into her house, closing the door behind her._

_But I couldn't forget the smell of her hair and how wonderful it felt to have her small, lithe body pressed against mine._

* * *

No matter what I thought about them, I was still a guy myself. I still had feelings, urges and hormones. It was quite hard to resist sometimes, but I was relatively civilized compared to other guys when it came to this aspect. Though I sometimes had these weird feelings when I looked at her, or the urge to suddenly hold her in my arms, I was able to resist and still come off as mentally sound. But I was human. We all had lapses every now and then, right?

* * *

_Strangely enough, we had been partnered together for games and we were playing tennis against another pair of students, a girl and a boy too. The game had started out rather uneventfully, though I realized that she was rather athletic. I had never really noticed before, except that she had quite a good figure._

_Suddenly, the other team hit a wicked curve ball over to our side of the court and the ball was headed straight for me. I stood frozen and unmoving. A blur of movement to my left suddenly caught my attention. Chihiro was running over to me, her racket extended out in front, intending to prevent the ball from hitting me. Just as the ball was about to hit me, she threw herself in front of me, getting hit instead. Then, she started to fall._

_Without thinking, I reached out to grab her, pulling her towards me. She frantically clung to me, trying to regain her balance. My mind was spinning from our nearness, she was so close to me and so warm._

_On impulse, I brought my lips down to hers, tilting her head up to meet my lips. Our eyes slid shut. The feeling of her warm lips under mine was incredible. All I could feel was her._

_That is, until a hard, fast-moving tennis ball whacked into my back. We broke apart and found the whole class staring at us. The girls gaped open-mouthed at us while the boys were grinning suggestively and nudging one another. Suddenly, the awkward silence was broken by a loud wolf-whistle and a shout of "Go, Haku!", which came from... the teacher. _

_Oh well, at least we had his approval._

* * *

I was unable to look Chihiro straight in the eyes for the rest of the lesson. But I should've known that she would corner me after class and demand an explanation. I admit that there was a repeat performance of that little incident.

But can you blame me? After all, Chihiro is one hell of a special girl. My girl.

A/N: AHAHA! That was quite epic. I've never really written anything as long before. It took around 1.5 hours. Have no idea what you guys think of it, but I like this story. Kind of. Thanks for reading anyway! :)) Reviews are welcome. :D


	16. 16: Work

A/N: Yo, so this is just another super random thingy. I thought of it the other day, when I was doing roughly the same thing, minus all the, ahem, stuff. So, enjoy! And sorry for the irregular update! :( My life is quite screwed up.

* * *

He watched as she sat at the table, eyes focused unwaveringly on the computer set in front of her. She frowned in concentration as she stared at the big mess of black words on the screen; her face bathed in a slight bluish glow from the machine. Her fingers moved like a blur over the keys, the sound of furious typing filling the silence of the room. He sighed, she did not look as though she was about to finish anytime soon. Yet, she had been on the computer for the whole day already and it was about two in the morning! Silently, he moved closer to his wife, so caught up in her work that she did not notice him at all.

When he was standing right behind her, so close that he could feel her delicious warmth enveloping his body, he stopped. Leaning down carefully, he gave her neck a gentle kiss. The effect was immediate. Chihiro literally leapt a foot into the air, her heart beating wildly in her chest. She turned around and shot a brown-eyed glare at her husband, who was cracking up on the floor, his strands of dark green strewn across his face. Frostily, she gave him a look that could have melted stone, telling him that she was clearly not amused at his childish antics. Yet, she could feel her anger slipping away as quickly as it came. How could she stay angry with him when he looked like that? A smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she allowed herself to remember their time together when they were children, how Haku would laugh so freely, as though he had not a care in the world. The sight of that always warmed her heart and made her giggle too. It was sad how being adults robbed them of such innocence and happiness.

The feeling of a pair of strong, warm arms enveloping her small frame startled her from her reverie.

"You're spending way more time with your computer than with me these days." She moulded her body against his and sighed as she felt herself relax after a hectic day. Haku rested his chin on her head and held her tighter. His low, lilting voice in her ear reminded her how much she had missed the closeness of her husband. She turned around in his embrace to wrap her arms around his waist, resting her head against his chest.

"You know the computer can never compete with you though," she murmured to him, reaching her hand up to caress his neck, gliding her fingers across his collarbone. She could feel the bobbing movements of his Adam's apple as he swallowed. Pushing herself up slightly, she made a trail of kisses from his collarbone to his chin before giving Haku a light peck on the lips. Drawing back slightly, she gave him a sweet smile, satisfied at having caused the dumbstruck look to appear on his face. Turning back to the screen of her computer, she grinned mischievously to herself, laughing inwardly at her husband's reaction.

Then, she felt his arm slip around her waist again.

"That's not fair," he growled huskily to her, his tone causing delicious shivers to race up her spine and elicit a burning desire within her. She tried to ignore him and focused on the small words that dotted the screen. But he was making it extremely hard, seeing as how he began to drop light, feathery kisses from her ear to her neck and up again. After a few moments, she threw her hands up in frustration.

"You'll be the death of me! I have to finish this by Wednesday, you know!"

"But it's only Monday night," he whispered in reply, "you still have more than a day left."

"Not really, Haku, seeing as it's actually already _Tuesday morning_," she shot back snidely.

"Hmm." He murmured into her skin, obviously not listening to a word she was saying. Shifting slightly, he turned to look into her eyes. Haku stroked her cheek softly.

"Please, Chihiro, come to bed already. Please, I'm begging you."

She almost laughed at his pleading expression. But she had to admit that his version of a puppy-dog face was rather effective. She could feel herself melting.

"Fine, just this once, seeing as I'm too tired to- "

Her sentence was cut off as she immediately felt his lips on hers, warm yet demanding. Chihiro eagerly reciprocated the action, sighing slightly in his hold and allowing his tongue to slip into her mouth. All of a sudden, she felt herself being lifted into the air. She let out a squeak of surprise which was quickly silenced by Haku's mouth covering hers.

As she was placed on the bed, Chihiro could not help but let her thoughts stray to the unfinished work still left to do. Then she gave in and tried to banish the thoughts of her work from her mind, after all, she still had her own life to lead, her own husband to take care of.

She could not help but decide, as Haku's shirt suddenly met the parquet flooring, that there was always tomorrow to finish her work. And tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow….

Actually, why did she even work when Haku was around?

* * *

A/N: Hey ppl, long time no see! Sorry for the super late update, but my mid-year tests just finished so I'm slightly less bogged down now. It's nice to finally be able to write again. Thanks to all those people who reviewed and gave suggestions! :D It was nice and it gave me something to think about. But I need to develop the plot a bit more first. Hope this one wasn't too painful to read! Thanks! :))


	17. 17: Broken

A/N: Yes, as you can see from the scrollbar, this is really, _really _short. I wanted to keep this short coz its slightly random and emo. It was very unexpected and out of the blue, but what can I say? I felt like it. :) Hope you like it, and read the bottom note!

* * *

It hurt. Every time she thought about it, about _him_, she felt a raw, consuming pain flare within her chest, making her feel like she wanted to rip out her heart and throw it away. All the little things somehow managed to remind her of him. A lingering scent on her pillow, a falling leaf, the sound of shoes against the hard pavement, a _stupid song_ – they all managed to conjure up a perfect image of him in her mind and each time, it hurt so much worse than before.

Loneliness. It hit her acutely as she slowly made her way home. The bright sunshine and the sound of children and teenagers laughing and talking loudly seemed to mock her misery. A bird sat in a tree, calling down loudly to all the people walking by below. '_You lost him_,' it seemed to say. '_You lost him.' _For the rest of the short distance back, she walked briskly, avoiding and trying to escape quickly from all the happy couples and children. People parted for the young woman, assuming she was in a hurry to go somewhere, not knowing that she was fighting burning tears all the way home. Besides, he wasn't there to comfort her anymore.

She always wondered why he had gone, why he had left. Was it something she did, something she had said? She thought they were happy together, but judging from his actions, she couldn't have been further from the truth. No use moping about it now, anyway, he had already left. Then why hadn't the pain and hurt from his sudden departure gone too? It irked her that she had always been so easily affected by him.

She didn't like to sleep now, knowing that first of all, it would be a wasted attempt. Every single time she wanted to fall asleep and let her lose herself in unconsciousness, sleep always seemed to evade her. But when she fell asleep, it was not the dreamless, peaceful rest that she longed for. Her sleep was filled with dreams – always about him; what they had been like together, what they had done, what they _could _ have done. It made sleeping a living hell. Sometimes, being asleep seemed no better than being awake.

These few days, she was still surrounded by an impenetrable haze. Nobody could seem to get through to her. She felt like she was in an aquarium and they were the people looking in at her, their voices muffled and far away, their faces which looked distorted through the glass that separated them. The only time she ever showed a reaction was when something related to him was brought up. Then she would jerk in surprise, a flash of pain reflected in her eyes. It had become a touchy topic between her and her family and acquaintances. Acquaintances, for that was all they would ever be. She would never open her heart to anyone again, not after him.

The pain flared again in her chest one time, as she was walking along the street. The hope that she had scarily allowed herself to hold onto was cruelly crushed and the half-healed wound in her heart was ripped open when she saw a familiar face in the crowd. But it was just another man, just another stranger, just another fleeting face in the crowd. She turned away sharply, forcing back the tears that threatened to flow, but not before she saw a spark of recognition flare in that pair of strangely familiar, entrancing green eyes.

* * *

A/N: AHAHA! DAMN RANDOM CLIFFIE! First off, I have no idea where the hell this came from. It's not what I usually write, but anyway... Yeah. So I was wondering if you people wanted a companion piece or something to this one, kinda like a sequel. Coz I think this ends rather abruptly. So, you know the drill, thanks for reading and reply k? If not I will have no idea what to write. :p


	18. 18: Shower

A/N: Hi people! Sorry I've been MIA for ages. Took a break and wasted time. This is VERY random, I admit. Anyway, go ahead and read first. Hope you like this one. Sorry again, for the super late update!

* * *

Showers are a very important aspect of daily life and they simply are one of the basic necessities of everyday living. They played an especially important factor in the lives of females, who were the biggest on hygiene.

Chihiro could never do without her daily showers and could spend a really long time standing under the spray of water. Even as a young child, she realized the importance of them, much unlike the opposite gender.

"Haku, I'll talk to you later okay? I need to take a shower first."

"We're always dirty anyway, so what's the point of taking showers?"

"My mommy says I have to."

"Well, _I _don't want to, so I shall never _ever_ take a shower."

Chihiro promptly said, 'You're disgusting' and hung up the phone. Then she ran to the bathroom.

* * *

As a teenager, she became even more conscious of herself and showers had to be taken at least twice a day. If Chihiro was to forego her showers, the consequences would be disastrous.

"I _really, really_ need to go and take a shower. So I'm going to run home first, 'kay?"

"You and your showers, seriously. It's like you're OCD or something. Normal, sane, people like me can survive on one a day. You on the other hand…."

"Shut up, I get your point!" she replied, in between fits of laughter. "I already told you I was going to meet you later, right?"

"Yeah, but still…. You sure you want to give up spending time with your best bud just to stand under running water?"

"Jeesh, Haku, you exaggerate way too much! I'll see you later."

She ran off down the road, her long, brown ponytail flying out in back of her. A few seconds later, she stopped and turned around to give her best friend a parting grin and a wave. Then she spun around and vanished after the bend in the road. Standing exactly where she had left him, Haku sighed and ran his fingers through his bangs. Maybe he should run home for a shower too.

* * *

"Call me the moment you get out of the shower, okay?"

"You know I still need time to change, right?"

"I don't care. Once you finish you have to tell me. I need to ask you something later."

"So ask me now."

"I can't. You're in a hurry to go bathe."

"Says who?"

"You. And I know you well enough, so don't deny it. Secretly you're dying to get into the bathroom."

"Well, since our relationship seems to be so shallow, we might as well break up now…."

"Chihiro…."

"Okay, okay! You win! I'll call you when I get out, okay? Bye!" She put down the phone and gathered her towel and clothes.

Haku held his mobile phone in his hands, staring at the blank screen. A small smile worked its way across his features as he thought of his girlfriend's unchanging habit. It was kind of endearing, in a way….

* * *

He gathered up his courage and approached the still closed bathroom door. Exhaling in a big gust, he knew she would come out at any moment. After waiting for twenty years, he thought it was time to ask her. He took out the small box and stared at it blankly, wondering how she would react to it. What happened if she rejected him, then what? Maybe it was best not to think about that, if not he would lose his nerve.

The door to the bathroom slowly opened and Chihiro stepped out, still using the towel to rub her hair dry. As she opened the door, warm moist air mixed with the fragrance of the soap she had used wafted out and washed over Haku. He swallowed nervously.

Chihiro looked at her boyfriend with mild confusion in the depths of her chocolate eyes.

"Haku, what…."

Then she gasped as Haku sank to the ground on one knee and brought out the small box yet again.

"Chihiro, I know this is kind of fast, but I've known you my whole life and I feel we could spend the rest of it together. I'm not sure what you think about this but I've been thinking about it and..." Haku inwardly cringed as he realized that he had been rambling out of anxiety, a bad habit of his. He took another deep breath.

"Ogino Chihiro, will you marry me?"

She gasped at that and flung herself down on him. There was only ever one answer to that question.

"Yes."

Nothing else mattered anymore, he decided. Standing up, he grabbed her around the waist and pressed her against the closed bathroom door, beginning to thoroughly ravish her mouth. She eagerly reciprocated the action and wound her arms around his neck. He gently took one of her hands in his and slipped the glittering diamond ring onto her finger. She admired it for a second before bringing her hand back up to cup his face. She slipped her tongue into his mouth wickedly, eliciting a moan from her fiancé. She grinned mentally at that word. Just then, Haku pushed her into the bathroom, which was still warm and humid from her recent bath, and locked the door behind them. Outside, Chihiro's towel lay abandoned on the floor.

* * *

On the night of her big day, after all the excitement had died down, Chihiro found herself craving warmth and solitude, and she knew exactly where to find it. Stepping out of the pristine white dress, she left it on the floor and walked into the shower, sighing in relief when the warm water gushed down on her head, washing away her makeup and loosening her tightly bound tresses. She stood motionless for a few minutes, silently letting the water ease the tense muscles in her neck. Suddenly, the door to the bathroom opened.

"I thought I would find you here," her new husband murmured. She smiled gently at him through the glass separating them.

He loosened his tie and slipped it over his head, dropping it to the floor.

"I'm finally allowed to take a shower with you, right?"

Chihiro inwardly shivered at his question, waiting for him. She stood and looked at him as he walked nearer to her. Finally, he was so near that the spray of the water could wet his dark hair.

"You're getting wet," she stated. She moved to help him remove his wet dress shirt.

Suddenly, he kissed her.

They began an intimate dance in the shower, the warm water enveloping their intertwined bodies.

* * *

A/N: Hey hey, long time no see! Yups, I haven't died. Nopes, I haven't quitted FF. yet. I'm kinda dry on the brain juice now and I've just been really lazy to start writing again... This was random, again, but I found it amusing. I hope you guys find it amusing too. Like it or hate it, please review! Thanks! :D


	19. 19: Sweat

Hey people! Long, long, long, long, long time no see! Sorry for this super crazy late update. No I haven't died or anything. Yet. School was and still is driving me nuts. I wrote out this super short piece for you all. Hope you like it! :)

* * *

The crowd watched in breathless silence as the clocked ticked down. Right now, their team was in control of the ball and the scores were tied. It all boiled down to these final few minutes. In order to get into the finals, they had to score.

Chihiro had her hands fisted tightly in her skirt, watching the players on the field with an anxious gaze, but most of all, her eyes sought him. She knew how much he wanted to win this soccer match and how much he wanted to get into the finals.

As the ball neared the goal of the opposing team, she was almost too afraid to look. Three minutes left. _He _was in possession of the ball now, feinting to the left then to the right to get around the opponent's defense.

Two minutes. The ball was suddenly stolen from him. Around her, gasps of disappointment could be heard from the crowd. She could barely contain a scream of frustration. Suddenly, he ran forwards and deftly stole the ball back from Fujiya High's star player.

One minute. She watched as the sweat ran down his face, creating wet trails down his cheeks. She saw the tightening of his jaw and the narrowing of his eyes as he prepared for the final kick. Fervently, she prayed to every deity and god she knew that the ball would go in. He swung his leg back and kicked….

Goal.

She could hardly believe it as the other students around her erupted into cheers. It was over- and they had won. Looking down at the field, she saw the team run to him and jump onto him in jubilation, howling in triumph and grinning wildly. Watching him, she could not stop the wicked smile that tugged at the edges of her mouth.

"We won!" she squealed ecstatically, spinning around to hug her best friend, Rin.

"I know!" Rin gushed back, equally as hyped up as her friend. They both hugged and jumped around like the pair of crazed teenagers they were.

"I do believe I deserve a hug too."

Pulling back abruptly from their embrace, Chihiro whipped around to stare at the owner of that familiar, alluring voice.

"Quit gawking and give the guy a kiss or something, Chi. After all, he ran his ass off today," Rin smirked. "By the way, nice last minute kick, Haku. It's just like you to hold back till the last moment."

Haku threw a brief smile at Rin, but his eyes still had not left Chihiro. He held out his arms to her, which she promptly jumped into.

"You were wonderful today. I'm so proud of you," she whispered to Haku, resting her head on his shoulder. Then she clasped her hands behind his neck and pulled his head down for a kiss. Haku happily reciprocated the action.

Drawing back a few moments later, Chihiro rested her forehead lightly on Haku's, then turned to Rin, whose face was contorted into a grimace.

"Chi, that's just gross. Haku is cute, but he's covered in sweat, which makes him not so cute. And then you just go ahead and hug him! What is wrong with you, girl?" Rin's voice oozed disapproval.

Chihiro just giggled at her friend's ranting. "I think the sweat makes him sexy."

Haku raised an eyebrow at her, a grin growing on his lips. "Does that mean you think I'm sexy?"

"Shut up," she muttered, pulling him back down to meet her waiting lips.

"Guys, making out is not really appropriate right in front of the whole student body right after a soccer match."

"Shut up, Rin," they said in unison, breaking apart for a moment.

"Fine! But no groping!"

She was happily ignored.

* * *

A/N: I shall say it again: I'm super SUPER sorry for not updating regularly and stuff. I wrote this but its really short and I think I can hopefully post another one by tomorrow. Maybe? I dunno. Anywayyyy, hope you liked this coz I'm just a little bit out of practise. OK, it's 3 am. I'm gonna sleep.


	20. 20: Sick

A/N: Haha, I realised I haven't been on this thing in ages. I wrote this short piece a long long time ago. But hope you guys like it. :) Sorry for the prolonged absence.

* * *

Haku woke up with a start. The sound of someone being violently and unpleasantly sick was a great contrast to the calm and soothing breathing he had grown accustomed to. Flailing around, he noticed the empty spot on the bed beside him. After rubbing the heels of his hands against his sleep-blurred eyes, he managed to achieve a passable state of consciousness. Stifling a groan, he reluctantly rolled of the bed and padded his way to the bathroom.

Leaning against the door jamb, he looked down at his wife sitting forlornly on the floor, embracing the cool porcelain of the toilet bowl. The look on her face was so pitiful it was almost laughable. Almost. Haku gave an almost inaudible sigh as he moved to sit down next to her. Chihiro made some space for him before curling into his body and entangling her fingers in his shirt. Cradling her more securely into the cocoon of his arms, Haku pressed his nose into her hair, inhaling her delicate scent of jasmine tinged faintly with her sweat.

"Not feeling very well, huh?" he questioned, brushing his lips against the rim of her ear.

"Mpmh." Her disgruntled response was endearing.

"Hmm…you feel kind of feverish too." He had shifted his caressing from her ear to her forehead.

"Obviously I'm sick, dummy, if not I'd still be cuddled against your warm body in our comfortable bed, not puking my guts up." She had always had a little of a temper, which only served to make the situation seem more hilarious. Haku buried his face into her hair again to hide the smile creeping across his lips.

"Oh. So you finally admit I have hot body?"

"No," she said, turning in his arms to give him a brown-eyed glare. "I admit that I'm never eating take-out food from that seedy restaurant place ever again in my entire life. And there's a difference between warm and hot, just saying."

"Nope. They're the same thing to me, Chi-chi. Stop trying to deny that you have a ridiculously desirable husband. And haven't I told you not to eat take-out before? What's wrong with my cooking?" She ignored his affronted look and turned away from his intense gaze. He had used his stupid pet name for her. She hated it when he used the stupid pet name.

"I do not have a ridiculously desirable husband." Her tone was scathing.

"Do too."

"Do not."

"Do too."

"_Do_- " Her words were cut off by a sudden wave of nausea and she up-chucked the contents of her stomach into the toilet bowl. Haku immediately held back her long tresses for her and rubbed her back soothingly. She pulled back after a while and sank into his embrace, totally worn out. Reaching up to the sink, he pulled out a glass and filled it with water before bringing it to her lips. She rinsed her mouth out thoroughly but the faint taste of bile still lingered at the back of her throat. Chihiro moaned and brought a hand to her eyes.

"This _sucks_."

"I knew I'd have you moaning for me," he murmured, his lips nibbling along the sensitive skin of her neck.

"Shut up, you cocky idiot." Chihiro used whatever little remaining strength she had to weakly elbow him in the stomach.

"Oh honey, you know you just love me to bits," he said teasingly, yet he kissed her cheeks tenderly, comforting her with his touch and his closeness. Chihiro sighed in contentment despite the aching in her head and abdomen. Settling herself even closer to him, she knew it was going to be one heck of a long night, but maybe, just maybe, being sick wasn't that bad after all.

* * *

A/N: Hope you guys liked that. Shall try to post more often, but super busy now. /: Comments and reviews welcome! Thanks! :D


	21. 21: Danger

A/N: Hey, haven't been here in a while. In the midst of my exams right now but am seriously SICK of studying. Hope you guys like this one. Thanks to all those who reviewed my previous chapters and stuff! I dedicate this one to all reviewers. I've been quite caught up in mythical stuff lately so I hope you'll excuse me for this :)

* * *

She swung her blade, watching expressionlessly as drops of blood flew off the shining steel to hit the already gore-splattered walls of the alley. Sheathing the blade, she stalked off silently, leaving yet another troublesome dragon lying motionless on the hard, cold concrete.

* * *

She stepped into her apartment, stripping off her bloodstained clothes methodically, ignoring the pungent metallic smell that permeated the air. What she craved most was a hot shower to sooth her restless emotions and to take away the last of the adrenaline still flowing in her system. Her magic was very close to the surface of her skin and she just knew her eyes would still be an unnatural gold color.

She sighed as the water pounded her body, the temperature hot enough to scald her skin. She closed her eyes so as not to see the familiar rusty stain swirling down the drain. Her head pounded. Maybe once she was in some clean clothes she would make a trip to the closest pub. A stiff drink would do her a world of good.

* * *

As she pushed open the door to the pub that was still so crowded at this time of the night, her magic unconsciously scanned the surroundings, looking for a threat. She was so used to living in an environment full of danger. She stiffened slightly as she picked up on a slight spark of something that was obviously an _other_. It was well-masked under a practically flawless façade, but it was still detectable to her finely honed senses. Dismissing it, she decided that she would not do anything about it unless it became serious, instead choosing to make her way to the bar.

"Vodka, straight up," she murmured when the bartender glanced in her direction. He turned around to get her drink and she had nothing to do but sit and wait and contemplate the scarred wood under her fingers. That is, until she felt _him_.

He slid into the seat next to her and she could feel his scorching, inquisitive gaze. Trying her best not to turn around and unleash the power building at her fingertips, she chugged back the drink the bartender had deposited in front of her. She felt the vodka burn against the back of her throat and thanked the gods for something that helped her remain sane.

"Looking for something strong, Ogino?"

She almost choked at the implied meaning in his silky voice. Damn the scaly bastard to hell! Who did he think he was, marching straight into her personal space and brazenly attempting to flirt with her, Chihiro Ogino the dragon slayer?

"Hmm… maybe a bit too strong?" She glared at him. All she wanted to do was to rip him into shreds and burn the tiny pieces. Except that one death was enough for the night and the little annoying fact that he had not yet breached protocol, thus not allowing her to do him any bodily harm.

"What do you want?" This time, she gazed right back into his piercing green gaze, ignoring the way the mischief and sheer intensity of his gaze made heat build in the pit of her stomach. Her subconscious had classified him as a threat and she was aching to eliminate it. Quietly, she summoned her magic so that it would be directly on hand should she need to use it.

"I wouldn't do that, little Halfling." Startled, she glanced back up at his face and watched him observe her lazily with hooded eyes. She could feel the way his own magic hovered just under his skin; saw how his dragon nature examined her out of his green eyes that were now flecked with gold. A tendril of his magic reached out just enough to brush against hers, testing the strength of it and feeling the aura of her magic. Alarmed now, she jumped up and off the barstool, slamming down some money for the drink before stalking out of the bar. She had to leave. _Now_.

As she jogged quickly along the path back to the apartment, she became aware of the presence that was following her. She whirled around abruptly, a ball of raw magic forming in her hand.

"I asked before and now I'll ask again- _what do you want? _Back off before I _kill_ you."

"Touchy, aren't we? Don't worry, little one, I was just curious. Lately, I've been hearing some fascinating rumors of this Halfling who has been ridding our world of some scum. Could it possibly be you? I wonder…." His voice tailed off as he prowled closer to her, once again invading her personal space. She swallowed thickly and backed off, surprised. Who was this dragon?

Raising her arm, she narrowed her eyes.

"Last. Warning. Back off before I take off your head."

He ignored her caution and continued forward towards her. She sent it straight for his head. He carelessly lifted his hand and flicked away the ball of power, directing it instead into a nearby tree which collapsed upon impact.

"Impressive. But not up to your usual standard if what I heard was true." Rage burned within her. This arrogant, presumptuous, irritating lizard dared to insult her? He was going to regret ever being hatched when she was through with him.

Closing her eyes, she called upon the power that was a deeply ingrained part of her. Magic flooded through her body, leaving her senses tingling and hyperaware of all that went on around her. Without warning, she flung two balls of fire at him, one after the other. The dragon's eyes widened slightly in surprise before he countered with a burst of water that arced gracefully through the air to collide with her attack.

"You want to play rough, I take it?" The corner of his lips lifted slightly in a captivating smirk. If she was any other human woman, she would have melted into a puddle at his feet. But she was not just any human woman.

She frowned darkly in response to his words before flipping backwards to avoid a stream of blue headed for her torso. Then she rained fire upon him, feeling the air around her body become heated by the intensity of the flames she conjured. She gaped openmouthed at him when he summoned a shield to deflect her deadly attack. How powerful was this dragon? Her attacks were by no means weak. To have the kind of strength and magic to overcome and block her magic would require a wealth of power.

All of a sudden, she felt a rush of wind as she was slammed backwards into a concrete wall, the dragon of water a hair's breadth from her. The coolness of his magic clashed violently against the heat of hers, both vying for the upper hand. She snarled and thrashed against his hold, trying to break his strong grip on her.

"Easy, little Halfing. I have no intention of harming you," he whispered to her. She stopped struggling and stared at him, confusion evident in her gaze. What was this dragon playing at?

She was stunned as his now golden gaze locked onto hers as his lips descended ever so gently onto her own. He then pulled back slightly to gauge her reaction. Desire and heat in his expression made her insides turn into jelly. She had a very bad feeling about this, yet her body betrayed her as her lips moved upwards to meet his again, her hands sliding up his body to tangle in his dark strands of hair. He growled low in his throat and the sound made her body shiver in reaction. He crushed her to him, his hungry lips molding themselves around her mouth, his tongue seeking entrance. She gave in to him.

After devastating her senses, he drew back to let her breathe, his eyes soft and warm. His hand reached up to caress her cheek, calluses rough against her skin. This was by far the most confusing dragon she had ever met. And dangerous. First, he attacked her, the next moment, he kissed her. But she guessed she could live with it. Hell, maybe she would even learn to like the guy.

Because, what was a little more danger in her already dangerous life?

* * *

A/N: Well, not much to say... Just...thanks to all those who've been leaving comments! They are encouraging and it helps to get me off my ass to write something. Been really busy lately so updates may be few and far between. School is still being a bitch and I'm kinda sick now. I'm considering on expanding on this chapter and making a sequel to it, coz if not I'll just be writing random plot-less drabbles. Heh. So yeah... Thanks and of course, do leave your comments and criticism or whatever! If there's sufficient response, then I may continue with this plot. If not, well... cheers! :D


	22. 22: Lies

A/N: Sorry for the late update, this is dedicated to all the reviewers of the last post. Thanks people! :) Hope you like this one.

* * *

Stepping silently into her apartment, she immediately noticed that something was different. There was just the faintest trace of somebody's water magic in the air. Frowning slightly despite herself, she thought she had a pretty solid idea on who had been- or was still- here.

Slowly and without a sound, she unsheathed the dagger from her boot and raised it up in front of her in a defensive position as she stepped into the small kitchenette. With trained, deadly ease, she flicked her wrist, sending the polished silver dagger spinning through the air- only to pierce the chopping board and land hilt-deep in the wood.

Chihiro immediately cast her glare onto the the man-slash-dragon whom had invaded her personal space.

"What the _heck _do you think you are doing here?"

"I'm cooking, my love, can't you see?" Her glare only intensified at his cheeky retort. He flashed a smirk. "Would you like to sample the results of my culinary prowess?"

"Oh, stuff it." At her words, he shot a burning glance her way, which caused her knees to turn to jelly.

"Oh, I know where to stuff it, alright."

Placing down the wooden spatula that had previously been in his grasp, he turned to face her, his deep emerald eyes full of promise and desire, a ring of dark gold already beginning to form around his irises. It sent a shiver racing down her spine at the thought of what he could do to her. Backing away from the predatory gleam that was oh-so-obvious in his eyes, she frantically tried to search for an escape route. Suddenly, she found it.

Lunging quickly, she grasped the handle of her dagger that was still embedded deep in wood. With a good tug, it came free, arcing quickly through the air to be pressed against the throat of the person who currently sought her blood. She was out for blood too.

Chihiro lazily raised her own brown eyes to meet his, feeling her own magic rise to the surface to meet his. With her gaze still locked on his, she drew the blade of her dagger across the skin of his throat, then she looked down to watch as several crimson droplets beaded around the shallow wound she had just made. Slowly, she leaned towards him, her tongue snaking out to taste him, her eyes fixed on his the whole time.

As her tongue made contact with his throat, she could feel him tense beneath her, every muscle taut. A hiss snaked out from between his tightly clenched teeth as her tongue began to stroke the skin of his throat, tasting him and soothing away the sting from the wound. Her arms rose of their own accord to his neck, where her slender fingers began to play with the hairs at the nape of his neck.

That was the last straw.

With a growl ripping from his throat, Haku crushed Chihiro to him before ravaging her mouth with his, his own tongue pushing against her lips, seeking entrance to her mouth. She willingly gave into him, her tongue tangling furiously with his.

When they pulled back from the devastating kiss, they were both panting heavily, the taste of Haku's blood lingering on their lips.

"Mmm… it's good, really delicious," Chihiro grinned, darting her tongue out to run across her lips, knowing that it drove Haku crazy. Then she lifted the dagger that was still in her grasp and ran her tongue across the blade, cleaning off any lingering blood. A growl rumbled deep in his chest again.

"Now, tell me what you're really doing here," she demanded.

Haku shot her a dark look from the corner of his eye, then his gaze fell onto the dagger in her hand. His eyes widened fractionally.

"That… dagger. Where did you get it? Can I see it?" Eyeing him suspiciously, she passed him her dagger, noting his abrupt change in moods. Baffled, she watched as he scrutinized every part of the silver weapon, turning it over and over in his hands.

"Do you know what this is?" he asked, his thumb rubbing an oval of red inlaid in the hilt of the dagger that glimmered in the light. The red oval was made of a substance that was hard and smooth to the touch, with several facets on its surface that reflected light, making it appear shiny, yet somehow always slightly warm when Chihiro felt it. This unknown substance had puzzled Chihiro for a long time, but she still kept the dagger with her wherever she went.

"Nope. I've not known since the day I was born and given this dagger."

"Your human parents gave it to you?"

"Not quite. Apparently my human father gave this dagger to the couple who raised me from young. They told me that I was to have it when I came of age. Why? Do you know anything about it?"

"This," his thumb caressed the red once again, "is a dragon scale." Ignoring her surprised expression and raised eyebrows, he continued. "And it isn't just any dragon scale. It's your mother's scale."

"_What?" _

Haku only nodded.

"It's true. This is your mother's scale, a dragon's scale. It possesses many magical properties that are imbued into this dagger that you carry with you. When you use it, it enhances your magic and makes you faster and much stronger than you already are. However, you would not know because being a Halfling, you would not have the ability to shift into your dragon form. Correct?" Here, Haku shifted his gaze to Chihiro, who could only nod dumbly at his words.

_Her mother's scale…._

"Wait. How would you recognize that as my mother's?" She questioned, her eyes narrowing to slits. "Do you know her?"

"Know her? I know her very well, very, _very _well. Actually, I work alongside her," here he cast her a hooded glance, as though to measure her reaction before speaking the words. "I work with her… on the Council of Dragon Elders."

Chihiro recoiled in shock. Haku? And her mother? _Dragon Elders? _

She shook her head in shock, not accepting his words. "No. No, no, no. You're lying! You lied to me!"

Chihiro moved away from Haku, away from the man who had been hiding so much from her. He was a Dragon Elder and he never told her?

"_You lied to me!"_

Her hands glowed blue from the sheer amount of magic she had called upon. She raised her hands and directed them at the liar who stood directly across from her. He had told her lies and withheld secrets from her. He would pay.

"Chihiro, no. Don't do this. Don't use your magic. Calm down, think rationally and I'll tell you everything. Nobody has to get hurt."

"You lied to me! I should have killed you a long time ago! And to think that I actually _trusted _you. You know what, maybe it's good that I don't know my own mother. If all dragons are as secretive and sneaky as this, then I'm lucky I'm not a damn dragon!" With that, she let loose a burst of power. It felt like déjà vu as she once again attempted to kill him to protect herself. But he seemed so strong, so powerful.

Out of the blue, he grabbed her by the waist and ran towards the ceiling to floor windows that made up one of the walls of her apartment. He shielded her face with his hands before smashing the glass.

Then both of them were falling… falling… falling….

* * *

A/N: Ok, I know this ended very abruptly. I did have this planned beforehand and I thought this story would complete itself in the second post, but it obviously didn't. And now, I'm having plans for another sequel. But let me know how this is k? I'd appreciate it :)

And thanks to: BlueMonkeyDoll, Jikarashino Haruko, xSoulFighterx for reviewing, and to all the other people who read it, favourited it and stuff. THANKS!


End file.
